3 Closer rumors surrounding Phillies now that Hector Neris is an Astro

Are the Phillies going to trade for Craig Kimbrel?

Craig Kimbrel has been on the Phillies’ minds for months; they were rumored to be going for him at the midseason trade deadline.

However, the White Sox nabbed him from their crosstown-rival Cubs instead. The only problem? They already had a closer, so they tried to use Kimbrel as a set-up man. It didn’t work, and his dazzling 0.49 ERA over 39 appearances with the Cubs devolved into a 5.09 ERA over 24 appearances with the Sox.

Despite his struggles on the south side, the Sox picked up Kimbrel’s 2022 option. Their strategy in doing this is to find a team like the Phillies who need what the Sox don’t, and made a trade. This way, rather than Kimbrel hitting free agency this winter and leaving the Sox with nothing, they can recoup some of their losses.

The Phillies’ farm system is pretty barren and low-ranking, but insiders are speculating that have enough to put together an attractive package for Kimbrel.

At 33 years old, Kimbrel wouldn’t necessarily be a part of the Phillies’ long-term future. He’ll be a free agent next winter, anyway. But of all the pitchers to take a risk on this offseason, Kimbrel is one of the best bets they can make. He’s an eight-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year, and World Series champion.