Traded at Deadline to Dodgers, Former All-Star Reveals Advice to Young Players

More than 100 players were traded in advance of Thursday's MLB trade deadline. Some will be named later. Many were traded for the first time.

While the deadline is an exciting time for fans, it's a hectic time for players and their families — particularly if it's their first rodeo.

Lance Lynn should know. Traded to the Dodgers by the Chicago White Sox along with Joe Kelly at the 2023 deadline, Lynn announced his retirement earlier this year. He's now a host on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM.

Lynn, 38, said in an interview with The Big Lead that the first time he was traded — by the Minnesota Twins to the New York Yankees in 2018 — was more difficult than the second.

"Moving from Chicago to LA, finding a place for the family and kids, getting acclimated to new surroundings is part of the gig," he said. "I think being traded to New York the first time really helped with that move for myself and my family. You knew what was going to go down. I was more prepared for it. There was a lot more writing on the wall I was going to be traded to LA. It was a little simpler move."

Lynn had a no-trade clause in his contract with the White Sox, meaning he needed to give his permission to OK the trade to the Dodgers.

It helped that he could lean on someone for help. Kelly had played with the Dodgers for three seasons already (2019-21) in his career; he had also been teammates with Lynn in Chicago, St. Louis, and on Team USA in college before they were teammates in L.A.

"Joe said a hundred times (in 2023) if it weren’t for my no-trade clause it would’ve happened already," Lynn said of the trade that ultimately sent them to the Dodgers.

Brock Stewart (whom the Dodgers acquired from the Twins for James Outman) and Dustin May (traded to the Boston Red Sox for two prospects) had never been traded before this week. For players in that camp, Lynn offered some advice.

"Use all the resources you can," he said. "Don’t be afraid to ask. When all is said and done, the team that’s trading for you has resources to get you set up. The team that’s trading you can do the same thing. Baseball’s a community that takes care of its own. They’re there to help."