It has been obvious that the Orioles need to find someone this offseason who can strengthen their eighth- or ninth-inning options, since they have a vacancy in the bullpen similar to Félix Bautista’s for 2024.
Joel Sherman of MLB Network provided one potential course of action for the O’s early on Wednesday morning, stating on Twitter that the team “has been seriously engaged” in attempting to convince free agent Craig Kimbrel to sign with Baltimore. The agreement was reached by the afternoon. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic was the first to report on its completion and the $13 million one-year contracts.
Sherman claims it translates to a $12 million salary in 2024 and a $1 million buyout on a $13 million 2025 contract.
After 14 MLB seasons, Kimbrel will turn 36 in the early half of the following season. By then, he will have gone through ten years from his early career run of total dominance with Atlanta and over fifty years from a productive three-year stint with the Red Sox. After a difficult period in Chicago from 2019 to 21, Kimbrel has rebounded well in the last two seasons, first with the Dodgers and then the Phillies, to establish himself as a respectable reliever.
It’s not the worst plan anyone could come up with for the Orioles to sign the most seasoned closer available on the free agency market to a one-year contract that will cover Bautista’s absence before moving on. Kimbrel has 417 game saves.
With Philly in 2023, Kimbrel has a 3.26 ERA and 1.043 WHIP. In contrast to his previous Dodgers season, he had a higher strikeout percentage (12.3 K/9) and a lower walk and hit rate. He gave up 10 home runs in 69 innings, which was one reason for concern. That may be a bit excessive, but considering that eight of these hits came from right-handed batters, it’s plausible that the way Camden Yards is now set up may benefit him.
Kimbrel might possibly be due for a change in fortune, given that his.239 BABIP allowed contributed to his success. With a career average of.264, he has fared worse than the average pitcher, but even a regression to his career rate would result in a significant increase in hits. It’s something to watch, but once more, a one-year contract at least reduces the risk.
In any case, a lot of red (excellent) is seen on Kimbrel’s official Statcast website, which tracks a number of more complex player variables. Kimbrel was excellent at producing strikeouts and swing-and-misses, and his fastball velocity is still high. Strikeouts in the ninth inning are quite important.
Because of the strikeout rate, Kimbrel’s projected stats, such as his xBA and xERA, were also exceptional. Given that he is a year older, a minor deterioration is to be expected, but as of 2023, he appears to be doing well. The only true concern is that, once more, when batters did hit him, they usually did so with considerable force. while they are only using the bat.All things considered, 181 you can live with it.
Sherman stated once more on Wednesday that Kimbrel will be the O’s primary closer. If you don’t naturally dislike anybody who have ever played for the Red Sox (which I completely understand), there are many reasons to think this is a terrible signing that could perhaps be beneficial if the Orioles