Craig Kimbrel is a former Phillies player we'll wish stayed in 2024
After witnessing the semi-collapse of Craig Kimbrel down the stretch and ultimately during the NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was obvious that many of the Phillies faithful wanted Kimbrel gone for good this offseason without giving it a thought. But if you take a closer examination of what Kimbrel did for the team overall, he brought more to the table than the playoff blowups that everyone has firmly imprinted in their memories.
It's easy to forget that Kimbrel was actually the key piece of the Phillies bullpen that kept the team afloat during the first half of 2023, when many of the other relief arms were struggling. Up until the All-Star break, Kimbrel was absolute money every time he took the mound at the end of ballgames, going 5-1 and 14-for-14 in save opportunities, along with a 3.41 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and a whopping 57 strikeouts in just 37 innings.
Kimbrel is an established veteran closer with 417 career saves over his 14 years in the majors, including leading the league four times in that category. The 417 saves also rank him eighth on the MLB all-time saves list, so he definitely knows how to get it done. On top of that, if Kimbrel is believed to be truly on the decline, a division-winning team looking to contend for the World Series in 2024, like the Baltimore Orioles, wouldn’t have invested in him if they thought he would hurt their chances.
The Phillies didn't address their closer situation with any external moves this offseason and will be counting upon an internal solution to help fill the role. However, none of the current candidates have had extensive prior experience finishing off ballgames. That is a huge gamble, considering the Phillies aim to be contenders for the World Series again in 2024. If they encounter serious issues closing out games this season, they will undoubtedly look back on their decision to let one of the best in the business go.