White Sox acquire veteran right-hander Lance Lynn in trade with Rangers

As White Sox general manager Rick Hahn said Tuesday, ‘‘The window is open.’’

He then said, ‘‘Chances to win are rare.’’

The objective? That’s easy. It’s to win a World Series, a plan Hahn and vice president Ken Williams have been mapping out since the Sox’ rebuild began four winters ago.

Late Monday, in a deal finalized and announced Tuesday, the Sox added right-hander Lance Lynn to a starting rotation that already featured two pitchers who finished among the top seven American League Cy Young Award voting. With Lynn, right-hander Lucas Giolito and left-hander Dallas Keuchel, the Sox now have three and will start the 2021 season with a rotation that, on paper, is good enough to attain their World Series goal.

‘‘On paper, it looks good,’’ Lynn said, acknowledging ‘‘the young guys’’ — hard-throwing right-handers Dylan Cease, Michael Kopech and perhaps Reynaldo Lopez — behind the big three. ‘‘I’m looking forward to it. I get reunited with [new Sox manager] Tony La Russa, whom I had when I was a rookie [with the Cardinals in 2011]. Ten years ago we won a World Series, and hopefully 10 years later we can do the same.

‘‘I was in the Twins’ organization for a little bit, so I was able to see some of these guys play. You see them grow over the years, and now to come and be a part of it when they all seem to be taking steps to be a really good team, hopefully I can be a piece that really helps push forward and make a good playoff run.’’

The Sox gave up well-regarded right-hander Dane Dunning and minor-league left-hander Avery Weems. Dunning, one of the Sox’ top prospects, started Game 3 of the AL wild-card series against the Athletics after posting a 3.97 ERA in seven starts in 2020. Weems, a sixth-round draft pick in 2019, is a control artist who posted a 2.09 ERA in the Sox’ system in 2019.

‘‘You have to give up something to get something,’’ Hahn said, citing that window.

Lynn, 33, went 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA and 89 strikeouts in a major-league-leading 84 innings last season. He finished sixth in AL Cy Young voting after finishing fifth in 2019. He will be in the third year of a three-year, $30 million contract and will make $8 million in base salary in 2021 before becoming a free agent.

‘‘Lance is one of the most proven and dependable starting pitchers in baseball,’’ Hahn said. ‘‘He provides us with another power arm and gives us three proven starters at the top of our rotation, while at the same time deepening our rotation and allowing some of our younger pitchers additional time to develop.’’

Lynn pitched a career-high 208 1/3 innings and had a 3.67 ERA in 2019. He pitched six or more innings in 11 of his 13 starts last season and has a career ERA of 3.57 in stints with the Cardinals, Twins, Yankees and Rangers. He missed the 2016 season with the Cardinals after having Tommy John surgery.

Dunning was acquired from the Nationals with Giolito and Lopez in a trade for outfielder Adam Eaton at the winter meetings in 2016. The Sox, the busiest team during the virtual winter meetings this week, signed Eaton to a one-year contract Tuesday.

‘‘We are now in that stage — perhaps the most exciting stage — of being ready to contend for championships,’’ Hahn said.

Last week, hitting coach Frank Menechino blurted out, ‘‘World Series or bust,’’ which might have excited fans but probably made Hahn wince a bit. Still, it’s what everyone in the front office is shooting for.

So Hahn was asked whether contending for and winning the World Series is the expectation.

‘‘I don’t think we need to hang any signs on 35th Street, but it’s pretty clear what our intentions are at this time,’’ he said. ‘‘We feel the window is open, and we are now going to be aggressive in our efforts to try to put us in our best position to win championships.’’