Gibson 'Out Of Control' As Rangers Top Pitcher

Texas Rangers Opening Day starter Kyle Gibson had his first start derailed by the Kansas City Royals. Is it anything to worry about?

Kade Kistner | Apr 2, 2021

For the first time in pitcher Kyle Gibson's career, he got the nod to be the Opening Day starter for a Major League Baseball club. The Texas Rangers entrusted the veteran, who is entering his ninth season, with the ball to start the season and help set the tone for the younger pitchers in the rotation.

And while a tone was set, it was not the one Gibson likely envisioned heading into Thursday's matchup with the Kansas City Royals.

"Yeah, not how you draw up your first Opening Day start with it being the first time you haven't ever made it out of the first inning," Gibson said after the game.

Gibson managed to secure just one out before being lifted in the first inning after giving up five earned runs. The last time an Opening Day starter was lifted after just one out was Toronto's Mark Bomback back in 1981, 40 years ago.

"I don't know,'' Gibson said. "I just didn't have command of anything. Obviously, that was pretty apparent."

To be fair, this was Gibson's first Opening Day start and the role he has to play on the rebuilding Rangers is as tough as they come. Gibson has a career 4.61 ERA, and while his 135.00 ERA to start the 2021 season looks unsightly, it remains likely that Gibson will right the ship.

After all, this is just one game out of 162, and if there is one positive to takeaway from this, it is the offensive production. The Rangers were able to manage 15 hits, surprisingly none of which were home runs, en route to scoring 10 runs. David Dahl and Nate Lowe both had impressive Rangers debuts, and the future for the lineup, at least in the early goings, looks bright.

In a season like this, it has to be all about the silver linings.

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Published Apr 2, 2021

KADE KISTNER

Kade Kistner is the publisher and beat writer for Sports Illustrated's Inside the Phillies, Cubs and Astros. He is also an editor for Inside the Rangers. An alumnus of Tulane University, Kade graduated in 2017 with a degree in Latin American Studies and a minor in Spanish. Upon graduation, Kade commissioned into the United States Navy and attended Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Fl. He served as a Naval Aviator and was stationed in Jacksonville, Fl. During his time in school and the Navy, Kade began covering the MLB and NFL with USA Today, SB Nation, and Sports Illustrated. Kade covered the New Orleans Saints, Texas Rangers, and numerous other teams within the Sports Illustrated network before launching Inside the Phillies, Inside the Astros, and Inside the Cubs. You can follow him on Twitter at @KadeKistner, or if you have any questions or comments he can be reached via email at kwkistner@gmail.com.