Nam Y. Huh, AP Photos

It remains to be seen how many more starts Lance Lynn will make for the White Sox, who with every loss and missed opportunity to cut into their enormous deficit below .500 as the Aug. 1 trade deadline approaches seem more and more destined to be sellers.

It’s not known what Lynn, whom the Sox signed to a two-year, $38 million extension in July, 2021 with a club option for next season, would bring in a trade. The dominant force that he was against the Blue Jays in a 6-2 loss in 11 innings Thursday was one thing. The pitcher who owns a 6.03 ERA this season is another.

At 36, Lynn’s diminished (92 mph) velocity has forced him to expand and vary his repertoire, which worked to the tune of 11 strikeouts over seven innings of scoreless, one-hit ball Thursday, that coming three starts after a franchise-record tying 16 strikeout game in Seattle on 18. Lynn’s 11 strikeouts per nine innings this season is a career high.

But Lynn’s overall body of work says something as well. He entered Thursday leading the AL in home runs (22) and earned runs (69) allowed, then looked nothing like that pitcher while getting 25 swings and misses against the Blue Jays.

A top-six Cy Young vote getter from 2019-21, Lynn this season has been far from the bulwark rotation piece the Sox bargained for, aside from a couple dominant performances. That said, interested trade partners will note his experience and strikeout rates and see him benefitting from pitching in front of a better defensive team than the Sox.

“There’s a lot of great things Lance does not found in the ERA,” manager Pedro Grifol said.

“His presence, maturity, experience, understanding of what the club needs every single day he pitches is critical for what we need to do.”

If Lynn goes elsewhere, he likely won’t be the only Sox to get moved out of town. Lucas Giolito and Mike Clevinger from the rotation and veterans Kendall Graveman, Joe Kelly and Keynan Middleton will have varying degrees of demand from contenders in the trade market.

In Lynn’s case, the return will depend on how much a suitor is willing to pay what is left of his contract and $1 million buyout. The Sox, if willing to eat most or all of the deal, would essentially be paying for prospects for their thin farm system. In any case, Lynn will more likely a plan B or C for contenders when other options are exhausted, even in a thin starting pitching market.

These are difficult times for the Sox front office, which is not in an enviable position as it come to grips with a failed rebuild that produced nothing more than a Wild Card, a division title and 0-for-2 in postseasons. Thursday’s loss in Game 1 of a doubleheader dropped the Sox to 37-51.

Their best starter, Lucas Giolito, becomes a free agent after the season and the club has given no indication of wanting to extend him, which makes him their best trade chip. The risk is waiting too long and missing an opportunity to sell, but the Sox also know many teams will be in the playoff hunt, looking to upgrade.

Matching Lynn’s performance was Jays righty Jose Berrios, who also allowed one hit in seven innings. The Jays had one hit going into the 11th, then scored six runs on seven hits including six singles. The Sox did not score until the 11th.