Cards keep adding pitching with veteran Gibson (source)

Veteran right-hander Kyle Gibson has agreed to a deal with the Cardinals, a source told MLB.com’s John Denton. The club has not confirmed the move. It’s the second pitching acquisition in as many days for St. Louis, which also brought back Lance Lynn as part of its plan to prioritize bolstering the rotation this winter. 

Gibson — who was drafted in 2009 out of the University of Missouri — did what he does best in 2023 for the Orioles: eating innings at the back of the rotation. The veteran right-hander led Orioles starters with 192 innings pitched and was just one of 15 MLB starters who threw at least 190 innings. He did so while posting a respectable 4.73 ERA (MLB average for starters was 4.45) and 2.6 fWAR.

There’s nothing particularly glamorous about Gibson at this stage in his career but there’s value in an experienced starter who can provide a bulk of slightly below-average innings. It’s a straightforward approach from the righty, who goes at hitters with six different pitches that he can throw for strikes (walk rate under 7 percent each of the last two seasons).

His best offering is a new sweeper he introduced in 2022, and he ramped up its usage to 18.5 percent in ‘23. It generated a .147 batting average against and induced whiffs on a whopping 46.7 percent of swings. With an ability to throw strikes and a new breaking ball that is clearly his best weapon, it’ll be interesting to see if he cranks up that usage even more in ‘24 with more overall success.

Beyond his actual production, Gibson is a well-documented clubhouse mentor for younger starting pitchers and a vital part of local communities. Gibson was nominated for his third Roberto Clemente Award in ‘23, all three of which have come with different organizations (Minnesota, Philadelphia and Baltimore). While his production won’t be overwhelming, the 36-year-old checks all the boxes of a veteran clubhouse leader who can provide decent innings and be an important member for any organization.