The White Sox needed a big start from Lance Lynn. The bullpen was taxed and the White Sox still had the bad taste from an ugly loss in Seattle still lingering. White Sox starters had failed to make it through the sixth inning this season. The longest start of the year belonged to Lucas Giolito who went a measly 5.1 innings. The White Sox Lance Lynn to be a stopper.

Getting Back On Track

The ten year veteran was acquired by the White Sox for exactly this type of start. His task was simple, eat innings and put on a show for the eight thousand fans that paid to watch their beloved White Sox in person for the first time since 2019.

Lance Lynn was as advertised. The man nicked named Tonka Truck went the distance, tossing a complete game shutout. He made sure none of the defensive issues that plagued the Sox on the West Coast trip emerged. Striking out 11 and facing only 32 Royals hitters is a good way to help out your defense.

Pure dominance from start to finish. He attacked the strike zone challenging Royals hitters all afternoon. Lynn was mowing down hitters so efficiently that there was not even a thought from Tony La Russa to pull him.

“There wasn’t much of a conversation.” Lynn said after the game. “La Russa looked at me and said, ‘Are you good?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to finish it. Does that sound good?’ And he said, ‘Yeah”.

First game with fans back at Guaranteed Rate Field, so Lance Lynn wanted to put on a show.#ChangetheGame x #CarryTheFreight pic.twitter.com/ol4M9ybp2U

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) April 9, 2021

The Royals did not get a hit until the fifth inning, when Lynn failed to cover first base on a soft ground ball to Jose Abreu. It was one of only five hits the Royals could muster all day. His performance gave the White Sox bullpen a much needed rest day and earned Lynn a place in the history books.

Lynn Makes A Little History

Lance Lynn became the first White Sox pitcher in American League history to throw a shutout with ten or more strikeouts and no walks in his team’s home opener.

Lynn also became the first White Sox pitcher to throw a complete game in a home opener since Britt Burns in 1985. Burns threw his complete game against the Boston Red Sox with Tony La Russa as his manager.

He also managed to throw the first complete game shutout in a home opener since Wilbur Wood back in 1976. For fans that have followed Lynn’s career this should come as no surprise. Like Wilbur Wood was, Lynn is an innings eater. That is why the White Sox traded for him.  He has thrown over 200 innings three times in his career. He also lead the MLB in innings in 2020.

Lynn also brings a competitive edge that the White Sox need. Mike Trout is in the box. Lynn is throwing a fastball down the middle daring him to hit it. It’s early in the season so starters should slowly ease into it coming off a 60-game season. Lynn is heaving 111 pitches and going nine innings. He is built different.

If the White Sox want to be a championship contender, this is exactly what they need from Lance Lynn.