Chicago Cubs: 3 trade targets if the team decides to be buyers

Chicago Cubs: Texas Rangers starter Kyle Gibson is worth a look

The Texas Rangers, like the Rockies and Tigers, will be another bona fide seller come deadline season. Right-hander Kyle Gibson should be up for grabs.

Gibson is having the finest season of his career thus far. The 33-year-old had a 2.24 ERA in his first 10 starts before landing on the injured list with a groin strain. He ranked in the 76th percentile in expected slugging and 88th percentile in barrel rate.

Gibson’s cutter-slider combination has been especially deadly, resulting in some swing-and-miss action and also pounding hitters into the ground. He’s another guy without exceptional velocity, but is currently boasting a career-low walk rate and has shown the ability to work inside to both left- and right-handed hitters.

A big reason Gibson could be so appealing is the fact he is under contract for just $7 million in 2022. That’s fairly affordable and could be a bargain price if he can sustain the success he has had through the first couple months.

None of these three guys are very splashy, but they are three of the more likely pitching targets should the Cubs look to add to the roster ahead of July 30.