Philadelphia Phillies starting rotation for 2022: What we can expect
By Tim Boyle
Phillies number four starter Kyle Gibson needs to be better than his average
Unless Wheeler, Nola, and Suarez are all chasing the Cy Young together, the Phillies will need more from Kyle Gibson in 2022. Much more.
After coming over from the Texas Rangers, Gibson went from having a 6-3 record and 2.87 ERA to going 4-6 with a 5.09 ERA in Philadelphia. His lifetime 4.45 ERA suggests he’s closer to what he was in the latter part of the year than the All-Star performance he had in the first half of the season.
Gibson hasn’t been horrific in his career. Several seasons with ERAs above 5.00 in his past, he does have a few—including last year if you include the Texas numbers—in the 3.00s.
Gibson could have a shorter leash than some expect. Depending on when they can get Zac Eflin back from injury could go a long way toward how much leeway they give Gibson.
If he slots in as what you would expect from a good fourth starter, the Phillies might be fine. Gibson isn’t being asked to come here midseason and pitch like an All-Star like last year. This time, the expectations aren’t nearly as high.
From him, we need to see a little bit better than his own average season. Think Joe Blanton during his years in Philadelphia.