Baseball: Craig Kimbrel bags USD 45 mn on three-year contract


Devdiscourse News Desk | Updated: 06-06-2019 07:55 IST | Created: 06-06-2019 07:24 IST
Baseball: Craig Kimbrel bags USD 45 mn on three-year contract
After spending 2010-14 with the Braves, Kimbrel pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2015 prior to a three-year stint with the Red Sox. Image Credit: Pixabay
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With draft-pick compensation no longer a concern, free agent reliever Craig Kimbrel apparently found a home Wednesday. The right-hander agreed to a three-year deal worth close to $45 million, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported.

Until the 2019 MLB Draft began Monday, any team that signed Kimbrel -- and other top free agents -- would have lost a high draft pick. His former team, the Boston Red Sox, would have received compensatory draft picks because they gave him a qualifying contract offer in the offseason. Kimbrel, 31, was the Red Sox's closer in their run to the World Series championship last year. However, while he notched six saves in nine postseason appearances, he often was ineffective, finishing with a 5.91 ERA in the playoffs.

He was 42-for-47 on regular-season save chances last year while going 5-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 63 appearances. Kimbrel was the 2011 National League Rookie of the Year after earning 46 saves for the Atlanta Braves. He is a seven-time All-Star, and he finished in the top 10 in Cy Young Award voting five times.

After spending 2010-14 with the Braves, Kimbrel pitched for the San Diego Padres in 2015 prior to a three-year stint with the Red Sox. For his career, Kimbrel is 333-for-367 (90.7 per cent) on save chances while compiling a 31-19 record and a 1.91 ERA in 542 appearances, all in relief.

The Cubs, his prospective new team, have been without closer Brandon Morrow all year. Morrow, who underwent surgery on his right (pitching) elbow in November, might be able to return in the second half of the season. In Morrow's absence, Pedro Strop and Steve Cishek are tied for the team lead with five saves apiece. Strop was activated from the injured list Tuesday after missing a month due to a strained left hamstring, and he earned a save Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies.

(With inputs from agencies.)

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