Boston Red Sox Acquire Craig Kimbrel
New Boston Red Sox GM Dave Dombrowski is looking to make a lot of moves this offseason. Dombrowski made the first move of the offseason, Boston Red Sox have acquired pitcher Craig Kimbrel from San Diego Padres for minor league players Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Carlos Asuaje and Logan Allen. Kimbrel spent the last season with Padres, after spending four seasons for Atlanta Braves. Expect Boston to make more moves this offseason, with the track record that Dombrowski has.
Last season in 61 games Kimbrel had an ERA of 2.58, 37 saves, 87 strikeouts, WHIP of 1.04 in 59.1 innings pitched. Kimbrel last season was outstanding as the Padres closer. Even though it was a losing season for the team, Kimbrel put up good numbers in the closer role throwing over 50 strikeouts. ERA was the worst of his career, but other then that Kimbrel was solid.
There is a reason why Kimbrel is one of the best closers in the league. He has a great control and command of his pitches, He can protect the lead most of the time in the ninth inning. When Kimbrel is on his game, you are getting one of the best closers in the league. One problem with Kimbrel, will have to be his remaining salary for the rest of his contract which only has two more years left on the deal. Other then that Kimbrel is one of the best closers in the game, who can get over 80 strikeouts a season with over 30 saves a season. Kimbrel also knows how to throw right into the strike zone. A lot of the pitches that he throws are hard to hit.
Boston is getting one of the best closing pitchers in Kimbrel, there were talks that the team were talking about a trade for Aroldis Chapman of the Cincinnati Reds. This works better for the team, Kimbrel has two years left on his contract while Chapman only has one year left. The team wants to rebound from a losing season last season, to become a playoff contending team. The prospect pool for Boston is really deep, so it does hurt to give up two top minor league prospects in Margot and Guerra. The team wants to win right now, so you have to give up young talent to get good ready now talent. Kimbrel gives the bullpen more flexibility. With him coming in as the closer, last season closer Koji Uehara will not have the closer role for long most likely he will be used in sixth and seventh innings. Kimbrel is also young so he is in his prime right now.
San Diego is getting really good prospects in Margot and Guerra. Two players who will take a few years down in the minor leagues, to get good before making an impact in the majors. The team is retooling right now, so the team is trying to get the best value for star players like Kimbrel which the team did. Padres future looks really good right now, the team will suffer losing seasons right now but in the future Padres will be a team to watch.
At the end of the day, Red Sox gave up too much but it is worth it for someone as good as Kimbrel. So right now Red Sox wins this trade, Kimbrel is going to help that bullpen for the playoff push the team wants to go on next season. In the future, San Diego wins this trade. The prospect the team got will be good in a few years, helping the team become good in a few years.
