Boston Red Sox Rumors: 3 Rangers players to target at Trade Deadline
Boston Red Sox Trade Target No. 1: Kyle Gibson
Even Kyle Gibson probably couldn’t have envisioned his 2021 season going the way it’s gone so far. After eight seasons of inconsistency, Gibson seems to have finally put everything together, and is firmly in the conversation for American League Cy Young.
After three seasons where he sported an ERA above five, including last year, Gibson has looked like a completely different pitcher this season. He’s only managed to pick up one loss on a pretty awful Rangers team, and leads the American League with a sparkling 2.29 ERA. It’s been a remarkable turnaround that has flown under the radar due to the Rangers ineptitude for most of the year.
Gibson’s track record of struggles may throw teams off, as there’s really no reason anyone would have expected him to emerge into one of the top pitchers in baseball this season. Not to mention he is already 33 years old, so even if his success isn’t short-lived, he probably doesn’t have many seasons left in him.
Realistically, many teams will trust Gibson’s season-long success, and get in on the bidding for the Rangers ace. Aside from maybe Max Scherzer, there aren’t many better options on the trade market. Plus, Gibson still has a year left on his contract, so he wouldn’t necessarily qualify as a season-long rental.
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It’s starting to become more and more likely that Boston is in the market for a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. Eduardo Rodriguez has been struggling for most of the season, and Garrett Richards and Martin Perez seem to be trading good starts with bad ones at this point. Having an extra layer of depth would be a welcome sight in the rotation.
Ultimately, the Sox may bank on Chris Sale coming back from his injury to fill that role. But banking on a guy who hasn’t pitched in 15 months seems like risky business, especially considering how good Boston has been so far. If they really want to shore up the position, it’s more than likely Gibson would be available for the Boston Red Sox taking.