Did the Phillies absolutely fleece the Rangers at the trade deadline?
Phillies get: Kyle Gibson, Ian Kennedy, Hans Crouse
Kyle Gibson (Starting pitcher)
Gibson has already made his first start for the Phillies, and he impressed his catcher and manager with the simple act of being able to pitch deeper than four innings into the game.
The bar is low!
But in all seriousness, Gibson is the kind of steady starter the Phillies rotation has desperately needed. For most of the season, it’s been Cy Young candidate Zack Wheeler, and a bunch of guys who can’t get out of the fourth inning.
Gibson has pitched five or more innings in every single start this season. Like I said, the bar is low, but Gibson has already cleared it.
Ian Kennedy (Closer)
Kennedy’s first closing opportunity didn’t go as planned – he gave up a two-run homer – but hopefully, it was just debut jitters. The 15-year veteran had a 2.51 ERA in 32 games with Texas before the trade, with 35 strikeouts over 32 /13 innings. He did strikeout two batters in his first Phillies appearance, so hopefully, this was just bad luck.
And hey, he can’t be as bad as Hector Neris and Co. have been in the closer role, right?
Hans Crouse (Prospect)
Crouse looks like a fun one. He tweets about Nick Foles, wiggles on the mound, and was being talked about as the Rangers closer of the future before the trade.
Hopefully, the Phillies will be able to develop him, since pitching prospects aren’t exactly their forte. But at the outset, he’s a great addition to their bare farm system.