The Milwaukee Brewers and Minnesota Twins have reportedly spent plenty of time discussing possible deals involving infielders Brian Dozier and Eduardo Escobar. According to Jon Paul Morosi of MLB.com, another name could be included if a more significant deal winds up coming together - pitcher Kyle Gibson.

#Brewers, #Twins already discussing the Minnesota infielders, and Twins RHP Kyle Gibson could be included if a larger deal materializes. Gibson has thrown 7+ IP in six of his last 10 starts -- the sort of reliability the #Brewers need right now. @MLB @MLBNetwork — Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 25, 2018

Kyle Gibson was Minnesota’s first round pick back in 2009 and was a lauded prospect coming up through the minor leagues before debuting in 2013. He’s been a more or less durable, back-end type starter in the big leagues, making 25 or more starts and tossing 145+ innings in each of the last four seasons. He’s on pace to exceed those thresholds again this year, having already reached 20 starts and 121.0 innings in 2018 with the Twins. Gibson owns a 4.54 ERA with 6.61 K/9 and 3.22 BB/9 in 851.1 innings covering 147 MLB starts, but he is in the midst of a breakout of sorts now at age 30.

Gibson has added some zip to his four-seamer this year, averaging a career-best 93.4 MPH. He’s also throwing it a bit more often along with increased usage of his slider, while also decreasing the frequency with which he uses his sinker and changeup. He’s generating his best swinging strike rate ever at 12.0% as well his highest strikeout rate at 8.85 K/9. Gibson’s walk rate is up a tick but he’s done a good job of limiting home runs, allowing only 13 across 121.0 innings. Run estimators FIP- (91) and DRA- (83) both agree that his work has been quite valuable this season.

Gibson is earning $4.2 mil this season in arbitration and has one more year of club control remaining before reaching free agency following the conclusion of the 2019 season. He’s got a bit of an up-and-down track record but appears to finally be making good on the considerable amount of promise he was once thought to possess. Regarding the rental infielders that Milwaukee has expressed interest in, shortstop Eduardo Escobar continues to hum along at a .278/338/.522 clip (128 wRC+) with 15 home runs while second baseman Brian Dozier has slumped a bit coming out of the All-Star break and is down to a .223/.306/.410 line (93 wRC+) with 16 homers.

Statistics courtesy of Fangraphs and Baseball Prospectus