Lance Lynn

Cardinals cut Rosenthal, make qualifying offer to Lynn

Published Nov. 6, 2017 5:52 p.m. ET

ST. LOUIS -- Trevor Rosenthal, the fireballing but oft-injured St. Louis reliever, is a Cardinal no more. The team gave the right-hander his unconditional release Monday.

Rosenthal is expected to miss most or all of the 2018 season following Tommy John surgery on Aug. 30. He had saved 11 games in 13 chances before leaving a game against Boston on Aug. 16.

Rosenthal has 121 career saves, sixth most in Cardinals history.

In a more expected move, the Cardinals made a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Lance Lynn. He is expected to reject the standard one-year, $17.4 million offer and become a free agent, though he has until Nov. 16 to decide.

If Lynn signs elsewhere, the Cardinals will receive a compensatory pick high in the 2018 draft.

Lynn went 11-8 with a 3.43 ERA in a team-high 33 starts in 2017, a year after missing the entire season following right elbow ligament replacement surgery. Not counting 2016, it was his fourth straight season with 30 or more starts.

The team also outrighted infielder Alex Mejia and catcher Alberto Rosario off the team’s 40-man major league roster.

Mejia will be assigned to Triple-A Memphis and Rosario is eligible to become a minor league free agent.

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Lance Lynn

St. Louis Cardinals

Major League Baseball