Former Twins fan favorite Kyle Gibson announces retirement
Gibson, who opted out of a minor-league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 20, announced his retirement on the “Serving It Up” podcast on Thursday. In his 13-season career, Gibson posted 14.6 bWAR and a 4.60 ERA with a 112-111 win-loss record.
Kyle Gibson has announced his retirement after 13 seasons spent with the Twins, Rangers, Phillies, Orioles and Cardinals. He was an All-Star in 2021. pic.twitter.com/pdd8JBmLSU
— MLB (@MLB) July 18, 2025
The Twins selected Gibson out of the University of Missouri with their first pick in the 2009 MLB Draft. He underwent Tommy John Surgery as a member of Triple-A Rochester in 2011, which delayed his MLB debut until 2013, when he was 25 years old. Gibson was with the Twins organization through 2019 before signing a three-year contract with the Texas Rangers. With Minnesota, Gibson had a 4.52 ERA in 1087 innings.
After a rough, shortened 2020 season with Texas, Gibson had a spectacular 2021 campaign. He made the American League All-Star team and posted a 2.87 ERA across 19 starts with the Rangers before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies midseason. Gibson spent the 2022 season with the Phillies, signed with the Baltimore Orioles for the 2023 season, and then landed on the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024 before going back to Baltimore to start the 2025 season. The Orioles DFA’d Gibson on May 18 after he posted a 16.78 ERA in four starts this season, then he signed his minor-league deal with the Rays before ultimately opting out and retiring.
Gibson made four playoff appearances in his 13-year career. He gave up three runs in one inning in the Twins’ 10-4 loss to the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2019 ALDS, pitched 1 ⅓ scoreless innings in Game 2 of the 2022 NLCS and one scoreless inning in Game 3 of the 2022 World Series, and gave up one run in three innings in Game 3 of the 2023 ALDS.
Gibson, who accumulated over $70 million in career earnings, never won a World Series, but managing over 14 bWAR, winning more than 100 games, and earning All-Star honors is definitely a career to be proud of.