After parts of 13 seasons in the big leagues, Kyle Gibson is retiring. The longtime MLB starter announced the news on the Serving It Up show this afternoon.
Gibson, 37, has been a free agent since he opted out of a minor league contract with the Rays last month. The veteran righty had pitched very well over four Triple-A starts, but Tampa Bay did not have room in their big league rotation. Gibson said today that he hoped his Triple-A numbers would lead to an immediate MLB opportunity. When that didn’t materialize, he decided to retire. He implied that he received a major league offer a couple weeks later but he and his wife Elizabeth were happy with his decision by that point.
“It has been a lot of fun to be around the family a lot more. … That’s where I ended up a couple weeks ago when it turned out that I wasn’t going to get the opportunity that I was looking for,” Gibson added. “It has been exciting being home and turning the page to a new chapter. I’ve taken the last couple weeks to call and text people who I really wanted to let know (the news) in person. I’m going to take the next few days and try to write something up to properly thank everybody that needs to be thanked for the last 15, 16 years in professional baseball.”
Gibson’s pro career began when he was selected by the Twins in the first round in 2009. A 2011 Tommy John surgery prevented him from making his big league debut until 2013. Gibson made 31 starts the following year, the beginning of his lengthy run as an innings eater. He made at least 25 starts in all six full seasons in Minnesota. Gibson posted a pair of sub-4.00 ERA showings and has his best year in 2018. He turned in a 3.62 earned run average while setting career marks in innings (196 2/3) and strikeouts (179).
A first-time free agent after the 2019 season, Gibson joined the Rangers on a three-year deal that guaranteed $28MM. He struggled in the shortened 2020 campaign but got out to a fantastic first few months a year later. Gibson reeled off a 2.87 ERA in his first 19 starts to earn an All-Star selection. The Rangers were out of contention, so they shipped him alongside Ian Kennedy to the Phillies at the deadline. Gibson spent a season and a half at the back of the Philadelphia rotation. He posted a 5.06 ERA in 43 regular season appearances and was part of the NL’s pennant winning club in 2022. Gibson made one appearance in the Fall Classic, tossing a scoreless inning.
That marked the end of the three-year deal. Gibson would finish his career on a series of one-year contracts. He signed with the Orioles in 2023, posting a 4.73 ERA over 33 starts. He won a career-high 15 games that year and led the 101-win club with 192 innings. A Midwest native who attended the University of Missouri, Gibson chose to pitch close to home in 2024. He signed a $13MM contract with the Cardinals and remained a steady hand at the back of the rotation. He worked to a 4.24 ERA while reaching 30 starts for the fourth consecutive season.
Gibson’s final trip to free agency was not as fruitful. He remained unsigned well into Spring Training. Gibson finally returned to Baltimore on a $5.25MM contract with less than a week until Opening Day. He agreed to spend the first couple weeks of the season building up in Triple-A. The O’s brought him up at the end of April, but opponents teed off for 23 runs across 12 1/3 innings. Baltimore released him after just four MLB starts. That’d prove to be the final work of his big league career, though his professional run concluded with three consecutive scoreless starts for Tampa Bay’s Triple-A club before he triggered the opt-out clause.
Aside from this year’s extremely small sample, Gibson was a consistent and remarkably durable starter. While he never reached the 200-inning mark, he thrice got past 190 frames. Gibson topped 150 innings nine times and had a grand total of three injured list stints in his MLB career. A 2016 shoulder strain was the only injury that cost him more than a month after he reached the big leagues.
Over the 11-year stretch between 2014-24, only Max Scherzer and Gerrit Cole topped Gibson’s 1814 2/3 innings. He started 314 games during that time, 16 more than anyone else. Gibson finishes his career with a 4.60 ERA in 1878 frames. He topped 1500 strikeouts and won 112 games. Baseball Reference credited him with roughly 14 wins above replacement, while FanGraphs valued him at 21 WAR. Gibson made 30+ starts for five different teams and earned a little more than $73MM in salary, according to B-Ref. Congratulations to Gibson on an excellent run and all the best in retirement.
Image courtesy of Kim Klement, Imagn Images.
Farewell Gibby! Enjoy the after-ball life amigo.
He had a nice career. Best of luck.
Another Chad innings-eater, gone by the wayside. Have a drink with Jordan Lyles for me.
I see you, fellow Foolish viewer
C.H.U.D.
Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers?
Had the pleasure of meeting him early in his career as a kid. Nice guy and durable player. Best wishes to him in retirement.
The damn Braves couldn’t throw him a couple bucks to eat some innings?
They tried
AA refused Gibsons money .GS 4, 15.38,era 0-3 2025.
What’s wrong with Dane Dunning?
$5.25 mil for 12 inn wasn’t an acceptable retirement bonus? Good teammate, good career. Sounds like the right time to move to next effort.
Kind of surprised he didn’t get an opportunity after his brief stint with the Rays but he was probably looking for a Major League deal over another minor league one
Good for him. Nice career and feels right about doing it without dragging it out too long or any of that. Cheers!
Dude hung around the league a long time as a 4th/5th starter. Pretty damn solid. Congrats to him.
No offense to the guy, but he sure made a lot of money to be not very good.
Some agents earn their money I guess.
He was an all star. Were you??
According to Smash Mouth… yes.
Second comment redeems first comment.
Then why is SF on your forehead instead of the shape of a L? Lol Jk
His FIP indicates he only gave up just under 3 runs every 6 innings. He was a pretty good 4 or 5 in a rotation.
Enjoyed seeing that All-Star 2021 season with the Rangers during a time when mostly everything on that team was bad. Sucked to see him go to Philly. (For Spencer Howard…) Good retirement for you, Gibby.
It sucked seeing him here in Philly.
Lance Lynn next one to retire?
Already did
Cards should have resigned him would have been 7-4 by now
losing 7-4 in the 2nd inning
Have a great retirement. I enjoyed watching you pitch for the Cardinals in 2024.
I saw him pitch while he was at Missouri. It was a game in Lawrence against the Jayhawks. I have been to maybe 200 college games. I have never seen a more dominant pitcher. I knew when the Royals took his teammate Aaron Crow in the first round instead of him that they had made a big miscalculation.
Best wishes for your retirement, Kyle! Congratulations on a solid career.
Congrats on your retirement, Kyle! Good luck in the next chapter of life.
Solid dude with a pretty good career. Maybe he can do some commentary with Trevor Plouffe with the Twins broadcast team, those two got along well.
Good Luck Kyle!
Watched him pitch a few times in person. Met him once too. Nice guy. best of luck in retirement.
I honestly don’t understand why the Braves didn’t go get him before he retired. Season is gone, go get vets like him to eat innings and leave out to “die” when things get bad instead of guys like DF. Cheap contract, extends his career. I just don’t get it
Agreed but it takes two to tango. He got beaten to a pulp this season and most likely is just fine with retiring than playing out the string for the prorated minimum.
No reason they should be starting that kid who’s in no way ready for the majors. Ruining his development.
Elias is trying to talk him out of it and resign.
Congratulations on a fine MLB career ! Enjoy your family.
He had a solid career. Started a ton of games and pitched a ton of innings. Good luck to him in retirement.
I guess by announcing his retirement he is walking away from about $2M remaining on this year’s contract? A little financial bonus for the Orioles.
Not many players would do that, but it sounds like he feels he has earned plenty and is doing what feels right for his family.
I don’t know that he’s going to file the paperwork and give that up now. Did you read something that said different?
30 starts and a 4.24 last year. Father time is cruel, and takes no prisoners. Although he got an offer in past few weeks…he’s going out on his terms. Really a good career for Gibson.
Cardinals legend, Happy retirement to Mr. Gibson. Great career. Definitely a Hall of Mid balloter. Loved watching this man pitch in st louis