While the MLB postseason is still in play, teams are already making plans for 2016. One of the players a few are hoping to land, and specifically the Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers and Houston Astros come to mind, is John Lackey of the St. Louis Cardinals.
Lackey was quite the solid player for the Cardinals this season, making $500,000 in base salary and around $2 million in bonuses, starting in 33 games to finish with a 13-10 record and a 2.77 ERA. He pitches twice in the postseason against the Cubs, having quite the performance in game 1 with only two hits allowed through 7.1 innings. The second start in the deciding game 4 wasn’t as successful, and he left after four innings.
The Cubs will be looking for someone to fill the shoes of Dan Haren and be their #4 on the rotation. They’re hoping that Jon Lester, who was Lackey’s teammate in Boston with the two also being part of the World Series victory in 2013, will help them land Lackey, providing some recruiting for the 37 year old.
Lackey might be inclined to sign elsewhere though. He is a native of Abilene, Texas, which might give both the Rangers and the Astros, two teams proving to be worthy of being thought of as playoff teams and not bottom dwellers in the AL West, a shot at landing him.
Lackey has been in MLB since 2002, winning the World Series with the Angels on his rookie year. He has one All-Star appearance, and has a career ERA of 3.92. In the postseason, starting 20 times and appearing 23 times over the years, he has a 3.11 ERA.