Texas Rangers: Four best fits for Kyle Gibson in a trade
By Sean Basile
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros have proven to everybody that they are not what their haters said they were in 2017, which is frauds. Now that everybody is presumably playing on equal ground, they’re tops in the league right now in scoring and strikeout less than any other team in baseball. They had a blip last regular season (while still maintaining their low strikeout rate), but turned it on in the playoffs as great clubs usually do.
Their lineup is going to carry them a long way, but what they need is a starting pitcher badly. Framber Valdez is not in the groove he was in last year and his walks are starting to affect his game. Zack Greinke has also not been that dominant at controlling the zone as he’s been in years past.
No Justin Verlander. No Gerrit Cole. The Astros will surely be missing a dominant force on the hill come October, but an addition like Gibson will give them a line of pretty-to-very-good starters that could be able to carry the load come playoff time.
A move like this also puts the ‘Stros in better position to rattle off wins in the AL West being that in doing so, they would pull Texas’ best pitcher who has had success against them this year away from a divisional rival.