SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) — Right-hander Kyle Gibson returned to the Baltimore Orioles after a one-season absence, agreeing Friday to a $5.25 million, one-year contract.
Reaching a deal less than a week before opening day, Gibson figures to join a rotation projected to include right-handers Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Dean Kremer and Tomoyuki Sugano.
Right-hander Grayson Rodriguez will start the season on the injured list because of inflammation in his throwing elbow.
Gibson, a 37-year-old who went 8-8 with a 4.24 ERA in 30 starts for St. Louis last year, can earn an additional $1,525,000 in performance bonuses. He would get $150,000 each for 14, 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 starts, and $125,000 apiece for 110, 120, 130, 140 and 150 innings.
He was 15-9 with a 4.73 ERA in 33 starts for the Orioles in 2023 on a $10 million, one-year deal, then agreed to a one-year contract with the Cardinals that included a $12 million salary. St. Louis declined a $12 million option for 2025 in favor of a $1 million buyout.
Gibson is 112-108 with a 4.52 ERA in 324 starts and six relief appearances over 12 seasons with Minnesota (2013-19), Texas (2020-21), Philadelphia (2021-22), the Orioles and Cardinals.
Baltimore’s rotation lost ace Corbin Burnes, who agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Photo: St. Louis Cardinals’ Kyle Gibson (44) pitches against the New York Yankees during the first inning of a baseball game, Aug. 31, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Noah K. Murray, File)
