7 potential trade destinations and returns for Craig Kimbrel
The Chicago White Sox picked up Craig Kimbrel’s $16 million club option this offseason but that doesn’t mean he will be in a White Sox uniform during the upcoming season. The Craig Kimbrel saga on the Southside has been well documented.
During the trade deadline, the White Sox wanted to make a World Series push so they parted ways with their former first-round draft pick Nick Madrigal and a young promising arm in Codi Heuer to acquire a future Hall of Famer in Craig Kimbrel. Rick Hahn thought the move would bolster the bullpen and solidify the White Sox as American League frontrunners.
On paper, it looked like a great deal. Kimbrel was having an All-Star season. He was virtually untouchable with the Chicago Cubs, posting a 0.49 ERA and a 0.71 WHIP. He also racked up 23 saves and was holding opponents to a .106 batting average. The thought of him and Liam Hendriks in the back end of the bullpen was tantalizing.
Things quickly fell apart once Kimbrel arrived in the White Sox bullpen. He could never get comfortable in his new role as a setup man. Kimbrel got shelled to the tune of a 5.09 ERA and allowed 31 base runners in 23 innings. When Tony La Russa did give him save opportunities he converted only one of his four chances.
The Chicago White Sox are really considering a big Craig Kimbrel trade.
Things did not get much better in the postseason. He allowed a home run and two earned runs in Game 2 of the ALDS. He finished the series with a 9.00 ERA. Despite the struggles, Kimbrel is still a top-tier reliever.
The White Sox could decide to hang onto him and correct the situation but this is unlikely given that the White Sox owns the most expensive bullpen in baseball and just signed Kendall Graveman to be their new setup man.
With holes in right field and second base, getting Kimbrel’s $16 million off the books would give the White Sox some more financial flexibility to address these needs. There should be a healthy market for Kimbrel’s services. Closers with nearly 400 career saves and over 1,000 strikeouts are seldom available. Here are seven teams that could trade for Craig Kimbrel:
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies could really use Craig Kimbrel in their bullpen.
When the news broke that the White Sox were first looking to trade Kimbrel the first team that was linked to him were the Phillies. It makes sense. Last season, the Phillies were on the outside looking in of the playoffs. It wasted an MVP performance from Bryce Harper and a stellar season from Zack Wheeler who was a Cy Young finalist.
The reason they had to watch the playoffs on the couch was because of the bullpen. They set a major league record for blown saves in a season with 34. They lost the division by 6.5 games. Had they converted half of those they would have won the division.
The Phillies ranked 25th in the majors with a 4.60 bullpen ERA. They also had the third-worst bullpen in the MLB in terms of fWAR. Their 1.1 fWAR was slightly ahead of the Nationals and Diamondback, not exactly the company you want to be in.
Dave Dombrowski will likely make a push to acquire Kimbrel. He was always aggressive in his days in Detroit. The Phillies have plenty of assets to offer. They have two prospects in Baseball America’s top 100. They also have Jean Segura who could be the White Sox solution at second base.
The Tampa Bay Rays
The Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays could make a Craig Kimbrel trade.
The Tampa Bay Rays have a major league-leading eight prospects in Baseball America’s Top 100. Six are projected to be in the big leagues next season including one of the game’s most exciting prospects, Wander Franco. Don’t expect the Rays to trade him anytime soon but almost everyone on the roster is fair game.
The Rays traded Blake Snell a year after he was the ace of a team that won the American League Championship. They still managed to win 100 games and the division. There is no rhyme or reason to it but the Rays front office constantly trades stars only to replace them with someone from their seemingly bottomless farm system.
They have arguably the front office in baseball for how they manage to stay competitive year after year despite their limited payroll so Rick Hahn has to be weary making a deal with them. The Rays have a history of fleecing teams.
Kimbrel’s expensive salary may be a hindrance to getting a deal done with the Rays. But there is no denying the Rays could use him. They are on the precipice of getting over the hump but just need one or two pieces.
The Rays used a combination of Andrew Kittredge, Peter Fairbanks, and JP Feyereisen. Kimbrel is better than all three. Kittredge was excellent but only logged 8 saves. Fairbanks had a solid 3.59 ERA but isn’t really closer material.
Feyereisen had three saves but was only given four chances which means the Rays view him more as a setup man. By adding Kimbrel the Rays could have the best bullpen in the AL. Curtis Mead could be a name to monitor for the White Sox.
He is the 14th ranked prospect in the Rays system. His estimated arrival in the MLB isn’t until 2023 but he has hit everywhere he has been in the pros and the White Sox could expedite his process to fill their need at second base. However, he would probably have to start the season in the minors.
He exhibits promising bat control from the right side and doesn’t strike out much for this era of baseball with K rates around 15 percent. He is basically a discount Nick Madrigal. Seeing that the Rays already have Xavier Howard, who looks to be their future second baseman, Mead is expendable.
Detroit Tigers
Craig Kimbrel could end up getting traded to a team within the division.
Inter division trades aren’t likely but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. The Tigers have shown that they are trying to contend. They made a splash by adding Eduardo Rodrigez to a five-year, $77 million contract. They then added Javier Baez to a six-year deal worth $140 million. These moves indicate the Tigers are not afraid to spend money.
They have a fairly formidable roster. The rotation boasts talented arms such as Casey Mize and Spencer Turnbull. Behind the plate is Eric Haase who hit 22 home runs last season with a 104 OPS+.
Jeimer Candelario served as the Tigers everyday third baseman. He led the American League in doubles and led the Tigers in WAR. Akil Baddoo owned a 2.1 bWAR which was the highest by a Tigers rookie position player since Austin Jackson.
Robbie Grossman is one of his fellow outfielders. Grossman was a stud in 2021. He hit 23 home runs, stole 20 bases, and posted a 116 OPS+. Throw in a veteran in Miguel Cabera and the Tigers have all the pieces in place except a solid bullpen.
Their bullpen was pretty terrible last season. Buck Farmer had a 6.37 ERA. Bryan Garcia had a 7.55 ERA. The White Sox old friend Derek Holland had a 5.07 ERA. Daniel Norris owned a 5.89 mark. Matt Manning had a 5.80 ERA and Erasmo Ramirez had a 5.74 ERA. Overall it wasn’t pretty.
Gregory Soto was the team’s primary closer last season but he owned a 3.39 ERA. Pretty uninspiring ERA from someone responsible for getting the final three outs of the game. They could use a Craig Kimbrel.
Their farm system is stocked with talent including Spencer Torkelson, Riley Green, and Jackson Jobe. While those names probably won’t headline any trade package, the Tigers have assets to sell.
One possible trade could include Jonathan Schoop. He was a borderline All-Star who was on the White Sox radar at the trade deadline. Both teams would be wise to pick up the phone and at least inquire about a deal.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The best team in the league could use a closer like Craig Kimbrel right now.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have shown they are never afraid to take on salary. They are also trying to maximize their championship window.
After winning the World Series in 2020, then being defeated by the eventual World Series Champions in 2021, the Dodgers need to reload. The team’s long-time closer Kenley Jansen hit free agency this offseason. But after a down year in 2021, the Dodgers may be looking to upgrade.
The Dodgers bullpen is actually pretty good. With Jansen and Joe Kelly departing hitting free agency, the best remaining free-agent option is Ryan Tepera. The White Sox can help their cause by resigning Tepera. Kimbrel is also a better closer than Jansen which may be enough for the Dodgers to bite on a trade.
The Dodgers have five players in Baseball America’s Top-100. They also have nine potential starters so a back end of the rotation guy such as David Price could be in play for the White Sox. However, the Dodgers do not have many high-caliber arms in the rotation outside of Walker Buehler, and Julio Urias. They may be hesitant to part with any of their pitching depth.
Their highest-rated second-base prospect is Michael Busch. Busch is expected to arrive in the show this season. The Dodgers were impressed by his defensive improvements last season so it may be a tough ask but Busch is a very polished hitter who could fit well in the White Sox lineup.
James Outman is another possibility. Despite playing center field for most of his professional career, Outman played right field in college. He has one of the strongest outfield arms in the Dodgers system so he is more than a capable option in right field for the White Sox. He also has great speed and can steal around 20 bases a year which is a skill the White Sox lack.
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays could really use a great closer for their bullpen in 2022.
The Blue Jays have a young talented roster primed to take the next step. Vladimir Guerrero Jr has established himself as a star. Bo Bichette has emerged as an All-Star caliber player. Meanwhile, Teoscar Hernandez and George Springer round out a slugging outfield that has made the Blue Jays fun to watch.
Despite losing Robbie Ray and Marcus Stroman in free agency, their starting rotation still features Jose Berrios and their newest edition Kevin Gausman.
The bullpen was their biggest issue last season. Jordan Romano was their main staple in the backend of the bullpen. Tim Mayza and Adam Cimber also pitched well but they are more supplemental pieces. The Blue Jays need to add another big-time reliever.
Their bullpen ranked 25th in the MLB with a 1.6 fWAR. By adding Kimbrel, the Blue Jays would be getting a guy with postseason experience that could help push them over the top.
However, the Blue Jays just lost Marcus Semien so it is unlikely they would trade an infielder. But considering their outfield is already loaded with talent, the White Sox could get a guy like Otto Lopez. Lopez can play multiple positions including outfield and second base.
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres need a boost and it could come in the form of Craig Kimbrel.
The San Diego Padres had high hopes of entering the 2021 season with stars like Manny Machado and Frenando Tatis Jr and a pitching rotation that featured Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, and Chris Paddock. Then they imploded. They had dreams of winning the NL West but in reality, they couldn’t even crack a Wild Card spot.
The only thing the Padres have been the champions of in the past decade is the offseason. Their closer Mark Melancon is now a free agent. The Padres roster is too talented to not try and improve this offseason and AJ Preller has never been shy about targeting the best reliever on the market. Why not spring for a reunion with Craig Kimbrel?
Without Melancon, the Padres do not have a clear cut closer. However, they have all the bridge pieces in place. Robert Suarez was just added from Japan. He had 42 saves for the Hanshin Tigers and throws 100 mph but is an unknown commodity. He may be better served in a setup role.
Luis Garcia is another hard thrower but has been plagued with inconsistency his past several seasons. Drew Pomeranz has been solid but injury-prone. Meanwhile, Pierce Johnson owns an impressive 11.9 K/9 in his past two seasons but walks far too many batters to be considered the closer.
Trading for a high-priced talented reliever like Kimbrel is exactly the type of move the Padres would make.
CJ Abrams is the number one prospect in the Padres system but he plays shortstop. With Frenado Tatis Jr locked on the roster for the next decade, that makes Abrams expendable. Could the White Sox make him their new second baseman? It is worth a shot.
Cincinnati Reds
The Chicago White Sox might be able to get something good for Craig Kimbrel.
The Cincinnati Reds still have enough pieces where they feel like they can contend. Last season they finished third in the NL Central with an 83-79 record.
Joey Votto, Jonathan India, and Eugenio Suarez are studs. Jesse Winker had a great season batting in 2021. He hit .305 with 24 home runs. Luis Castillo and Sonny Gray are also nice pieces in the starting rotation.
The bullpen is another story. The Reds bullpen ranked 27th in the MLB with a 4.99 ERA. They could never find a true closer either. The ninth inning was a revolving door with four different pitchers collecting 7-8 saves.
Craig Kimbrel would help bring stability to their bullpen. He found a ton of success last year in the NL Central so the familiarity of being back in the division along with not having to compete with anyone for control of save situations should set him up for a big year.
Mike Moustakas could be a name the White Sox look to get in return. The Reds have plenty of infield depth. Jonathan India has solidified himself as the Red’s second baseman. Max Schrock and Asdrubal Cabrera can both play third base making Moutakas expendable.
Moustakas makes sense for the White Sox as well. He can fill their need at second base. He has playoff experience and a World Series ring from his time in Kansas City. He is also a left-handed bat that can hit for power. In addition, he is familiar with the division which is a plus.
Moustakas had a down year in 2021 but a change of scenery could do him good. He was limited to just 62 games so now that he is fully healthy, he should return to the player that hits 20 plus home runs a season.
Seeing what the White Sox do with Kimbrel should be very interesting.
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