Red Sox could benefit from adding a new arm to the starting rotation
It’s great to be a fan of the Red Sox right now. The team is currently at the top of the AL East and showing the rest of the league that they are the real deal. However, if they wish to go on a deep run this postseason, they should look to be aggressive at the trade deadline. One interesting player who could be a great addition is Texas Rangers ace, Kyle Gibson.
The Rangers are sporting a 30-48 record at this time, so they are going to be sellers. They are in the middle of a rebuild, so keeping a veteran like Gibson seems pointless at this time. Gibson’s value also is higher than previous seasons, as he is having a spectacular year. He currently has a 6-0 record with a stellar 2.00 ERA. If the 33-year-old continues to pitch this well down the stretch, the Red Sox should absolutely try to acquire him.
When looking at the Red Sox rotation, it is clear that they could use more help. Besides Nathan Eovaldi, every starter has an ERA of at least 4.00 right now. Although the Red Sox are still having a great season, this statistic is a bit concerning moving forward. If the Red Sox start to see a decrease in offense, they could very well find themselves in trouble. With the way Gibson is pitching, he would help fix this issue.
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Now, it is important to note that both Nick Pivetta and Martín Pérez are having better seasons than last year. It has been nice having some stability at the bottom of the rotation, so respect is definitely warranted for their play. It’s just that Gibson has been able to provide so much more success than them, which is understandable with him being an ace.
Eduardo Rodriguez, on the other hand, has had a very rough season. This is made clear by his 5.83 ERA. A huge reason behind this is that he missed all of the 2020 season after being diagnosed with myocarditis. He may benefit from being moved lower in the rotation or even temporarily to the bullpen. This could help regain his confidence, which is essential. It is hard missing an entire year of baseball, especially after a serious health issue. Therefore, fans should not criticize him too heavily. A Gibson addition would put far less pressure on him to be “the guy” of the rotation.
The Red Sox are expected to get Chris Sale back in the near future, too. If Sale can return without any serious issues, this will really help the Red Sox, as he is their ace. However, if they were to gain both Sale and Gibson before the end of the season, that would make their rotation immensely better. That would make the pair their first two starters in the postseason. This, in turn, could help cement them as true contenders, as every team needs a strong one-two punch.
Gibson has shown vast improvement this season, and he has yet to slow down. If he were to be traded to the Red Sox, somebody would have to move into the bullpen. That could very well lead to Pérez being the guy, as he is the fifth starter. However, Garrett Richards has had his struggles at times, so he is a potential candidate, too. As previously stated, Rodriguez could even be a good option, but only for the short-term.
At the end of the day, bringing in a guy like Gibson could lead to spectacular results for the Red Sox. He not only has been pitching lights out, but also has another year left on a very affordable contract. With his success lasting this far into the season, it is easy to believe that he can keep it going for the long-run. Thus, the Red Sox should at least consider bringing in the big, right-handed starter.