Poor Lance Lynn. Every year the baseball gods seem to pick on some pitcher to get absolutely no run support whenever he starts.

That unlucky soul is Lance Lynn.

Lynn has been a true success story this year, one of the best free agent signings in baseball. A real steal at $10 million per season. But he is the poster child for why Ws can be deceiving, or the lack of Ws.

Since picking up his fourteenth win on August 2, Lynn looked like a lock to tie his career high of 18, maybe even hit 20. Instead, he has four losses and two no decisions. In those half-dozen games, he has five strong starts and one dud. In those six starts, he has given up one earned, one earned, three earned, seven earned, one earned, and three earned, while his team has scored one run, no runs, three runs, three runs, three runs, and one run. 

That’s sixteen runs given up, or 2.6 per game, and only eleven runs of support given, or 1.8 per game. In his last four road starts, the Rangers have scored a total of five total runs.

After last night, Lynn has 19 quality starts. That’s fifth best in the American League. The top three spots are Astros—Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole with 22; Zach Greinke, 21; then Shane Bieber, also with 21; then Lynn with 19.

Lynn seems to be one of those pitchers who is so effective, when he takes the mound he prevents both teams from scoring.

Unfortunately for him, it’s his team that scores fewer runs.

His splits tell the entire story.

First half: a 3.91 ERA, a record of 11-4. Second half: nearly half-run better ERA at 3.50. But a record of just 3-5.

Hang in there, Lance. Help is coming. 

When?

Don’t ask.

*****

TODAY’S GAME:

Kolby Allard (3-0, 4.33) vs. TBD (—, -.–)

Game time: 6:05