3 pitchers the Cardinals should target at the trade deadline

1. Kyle Gibson, Texas Rangers

It’s rare for a big-league pitcher heading into his mid-30’s to post the best numbers of his big-league career. At some point it might seem like a fluke, but as of right now it’s going to result in a lot of offers for Rangers’ righty Kyle Gibson at the trade deadline.

In his nine-year career, Gibson owns a 4.41 ERA and a 1.394 WHIP. He’s posted a sub-4 ERA just twice, and plus-5 ERA four times across that span.

Fast forward to 2021 and Gibson has become a Cy Young candidate with a 2.17 ERA and 1.060 WHIP across 83 innings pitched. At 33-year-old, it’s easily the best he’s performed at the big-league level. How long this lasts remains to be seen, but regardless there will be contenders taking their shot on Gibson. It couldn’t hurt the Cardinals to put their offer in, and given Gibson’s age and track record he should be more than affordable.

Gibson currently has two-years, $17.3 million remaining before hitting the free-agent market in 2023. His price tag won’t be as high as some of the other available arms, nor is he as valuable in the longterm as them on paper. For a team trying to win now, Gibson would be a solid addition to the rotation for a playoff push.