3 scary free agents the Reds should avoid this offseason

3. Reds should avoid free agent starter Lance Lynn

You want to see something scary? Just look at the number of home runs Lance Lynn allowed in 2023. Sheesh! The hulking right-hander allowed a league-leading 44 round-trippers to opposing batters last season.

But it gets better, or worse depending on which way you look at it. According to Baseball Savant, Lynn would've surrendered an expected home run total of 56 last season at Great American Ball Park.

Lynn still has the ability to get batters out. The veteran posted a 28.7-percent whiff-rate in 2023 and a 23.6-percent strikeout-rate. But Lynn's walk-rate, which was only 3.7-percent a year ago, jumped to 8.3-percent last season.

The Cincinnati Reds will definitely be in the market for a starting pitcher this offseason, and with three left-handed starters potentially in the rotation next season, a right-hander should be part of the equation.

But Lance Lynn coming off one of the worst seasons of his career, and seeing nearly 20-percent of his fly balls end up in the seats is a disaster waiting to happen. The Reds should be very scared of signing Lynn in free agency.