Phillies: 3 Reasons Acquiring Closer Craig Kimbrel is a Must
2. Landing Craig Kimbrel would also help out the Phillies rotation.
NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury continued that he would not bite too much into the team’s future to acquire Craig Kimbrel. But, if he were Dave Dombrowski, he would be talking to the Cubs and “trying to effort something” — for the simple reason that he is really good.
“He would help fill a big weakness right now in 2021,” Salisbury said.
Among the weaknesses that Kimbrel would also help out, not just the closer position itself, is help alleviate starting pitching concerns. The Phillies have used starter-turned-reliever Ranger Suarez as of late in the closer role. While he has successfully saved half of his six opportunities, Salisbury notes landing Kimbrel would help the team “kill two birds with one stone.”
“You are looking for a fourth or fifth starter,” he said. “You get Kimbrel to close games and maybe Ranger Suarez can go back in the rotation and fill that fourth or fifth spot.”
The Phillies starting rotation outlook became even bleaker on Tuesday, with their presumed third-best starter Zach Eflin being placed on the 10-day injured list with right patellar tendinitis. And while Aaron Nola returned from the COVID-19 injured list, he has been far from his ace-capable self in 2021 — going 6-6 with a 4.64 ERA and 1.228 WHIP ratio across 19 starts.
The Phillies have some fallback options — such as Cristopher Sánchez, who played a key part in an impressive one-run win against the Boston Red Sox to close out the first half of the season. Sánchez was called on to eat several innings after Nola was scratched from the Sunday afternoon start due to COVID-19 woes.
Still, the Phillies’ options beyond Sánchez are thin. That is why getting Kimbrel to perhaps move Suarez to the rotation would not be a bad idea.
3. Craig Kimbrel would not just be a ‘rental’ Phillies acquisition.
Acquiring closer Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago Cubs would not just help out the Phillies for the remaining two-plus months of the 2021 season, but also the entire 2022 season. His contract includes a club option for 2022 with a $16 million price tag, relatively friendly for a player of his caliber.
“The closer position has been an annual problem for the Phillies,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury said. “You would solve that next year.”
The Phillies may be wary to take on another high-dollar player, considering they are already so close to the luxury tax as is. Yet, Salisbury does not believe the tax is an “impediment” for the team seeking to get over the top and return to the postseason for the first time since 2011. It certainly wasn’t an impediment for Dombrowski in the past.
“John Middleton, the owner, has said that they would go over the luxury tax for the right opportunity,” Salisbury continued. “I see Craig Kimbrel for two years — and potential postseasons — as the right opportunity.”
The baseball scribe noted that with the collective bargaining agreement expiring this winter, he expects the luxury tax to be reset for next season. Therefore, the Phillies would likely only have to pay a one-time minimal fee. Going over the tax as a repeat offender is when it really starts to become an issue.
For repeat offenders, Salisbury notes that the tax “rolls over, multiplies and compounds.”
“With it leveling out next year and resetting,” he says, “you would only pay a tax this year — a very small one, depending on who you picked up.”
More. Insider: Phillies Will Be ‘Aggressive’ at Trade Deadline. light