Philadelphia Phillies plan to be flexible in Craig Kimbrel's usage: "That might mean the ninth inning one night and the seventh inning the next"
The Philadelphia Phillies bolstered their bullpen with the addition of veteran closer Craig Kimbrel. The two sides agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal. While Kimbrel has established himself as a closer, the Phillies plan to use him differently.
The Phillies do not see him as their closer. They see him as an effective late-inning reliever to put in with runners on base. They might use him to close out a few games, but that won't be his main role.
"That might mean the ninth inning one night and the seventh inning the next night" said Matt Gelb of the Athletic.
The Phillies signed the sport’s active saves leader, but that doesn’t mean they will change how they think about the ninth inning. The plan for Craig Kimbrel: theathletic.com/4054748/2023/0…
Kimbrel is heading into his 14th MLB season. The Philadelphia Phillies will be the seventh team he has played for.
His best stint came with the Atlanta Braves from 2010-2014. Kimbrel was named National League Rookie of the Year in 2011 and led the majors in saves from 2011-2014. He was the best closer in baseball at the time.
Craig Kimbrel would go on to spend a season with the San Diego Padres before being traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2016. He picked up right where he left off in Atlanta. Kimbrel was named to three consecutive All-Star games from 2016-2018. He also helped the Red Sox win a World Series title in 2018.
Craig Kimbrel gets emotional while talking about the Red Sox #WorldSeries win 😢😊 https://t.co/u4iAZWlT3y
He struggled after signing a three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs in 2018. Following his tenure with the Cubs, he joined the Chicago White Sox for a season in 2021.
The White Sox did not use him as their primary closer. Instead, he would often be the set-up man for Liam Hendricks. He only recorded one save during his time with the White Sox.
He returned to a closer role last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 34-year old recorded 22 saves in 2022. He also posted a 7-6 record and a 3.75 ERA over a span of 63 appearances. He struggled late in the season and was demoted from the closer role.
With Kimbrel's ability to adapt to different roles, it will be interesting to see how he fares next season.
The Philadelphia Phillies are looking to get back to the World Series with the off-season they've had so far
The Philadelphia Phillies signed one of the best shortstops in the league in Trea Turner. The two sides agreed to an 11-year, $300 million contract earlier this offseason. The deal also includes a full no-trade clause.
The All-Star shortstop will fit nicely next to Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper in the lineup. Expect the Philadelphia Phillies to be a serious contender next season.