Craig Kimbrel’s name is still coming up on the trade market, as ESPN’s Buster Olney notes (Twitter links), adding that the Yankees remain positioned to make a run at the Padres’ closer. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted tonight that many outside executives believe that the Yankees will ultimately end up with Kimbrel (though he also points out that industry consensus expected the Yankees to land a top-tier starting pitcher not that long ago as well). Earlier today, ESPN’s Jayson Stark linked the Yankees to Kimbrel as well.
Jon Heyman of CBS Sports reports tonight that the Yankees are still in the mix for Kimbrel and have even expressed a willingness to assume the remaining $28MM or so on Kimbrel’s contract in order to help facilitate a trade. The Astros, too, could be interested in making a “stealth try” for Kimbrel, though their involvement to this point is unknown. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune hears that the Astros are indeed still in on Kimbrel, though tonight’s Carlos Gomez acquisition makes it even less likely that they’ll meet the Padres’ asking price (Twitter link).
The Yankees have been more prominently linked to starting pitching than relief pitching this summer, and those rumors will probably escalate in the wake of today’s injury to Michael Pineda. However, adding an elite reliever to mix in with Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances would effectively shorten the game for a potentially shaky rotation (in a similar manner to the Royals’ dominant trio of Greg Holland, Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera).
Kimbrel got off to a rough start this season, surrendering three early homers that caused his ERA to balloon to a much higher number than observers are accustomed to see in association with his name. He’s returned to his old form over the past couple of months, surrendering just three earned runs over a span of 25 2/3 innings with a 36-to-10 K/BB ratio in that time. Many reports this evening have pegged the Padres as a team that looks to be on the verge of an exceptionally active finish to the non-waiver trade season, so Kimbrel figures to be one of many Padres that will see his name bounced around the league late tonight and into tomorrow.
Man….Betances, Miller, and Kimbrel would be some kinda filth to close out games…
Totally unnecessary.
Unnecessary- probably, but if they added Kimbrel and maybe a Gallardo it would
make more sense.
mike leake, jesse chavez, maybe dan haren. theres some options out there other than the big names
They need a starter but whatever.
No Yankees. No
I don’t see where it’s unnesscary ?add Leake too and we are in business
Could be the reason they got Ackley – Package him with others for Kimbrel….Left Handed, MLB ready and controllable…Seems to fit a piece of what AJP is looking for…Not sure how he fits with NY…
ackley is terrible
So is Gyorko…At least he’s left handed and has a higher pedigree
They could try and work a bigger deal and include someone such as andrew cashner, but depends what they’d want to give up.
Does he become the closer on the Yankees is my know concern. Elite bullpen are the new thing in mlb
Ackley is a throw in piece not by any means a center piece. The Padres have Ross who is a GB pitcher and cost controlled.
It would require parting with Judge and others to get both but Ross and Kimbrel come with 2 years of control.
I say some overnight Trades including Padres and Rob come and say tomorrow Trade Deadline moved back to Midnight.
Don’t think the Padres want salary relief. They need prospects, major league ready ones with the type of roster they have.
Let’s say hypothetically the yankees get Kimbrel… does he immediately become the closer? They signed Miller to close and he’s done pretty well… I ‘d hate to see Kimbrel go to a team and be a setup man, or a part time closer.
Considering when they signed Miller, it was uncertain if he or Betances would close, and that Kimbrel is well established as a closer, I’d think that there’s a good chance he’d get to close. And I actually don’t think that Miller would take issue with that ala Storen-Pap situation, at the start of the season he really had no care what it was he was doing. This is all hypothetical, of course, but it’s educated speculation.
The Yankees night be trying to copy the Royals 3 back-enders, but one reason that works so well is that the Royals have the best defense in MLB which keeps their below average starting pitchers in the game. They also play extremely smart offense with an ability to manufacture runs if they’re not hitting well, so they’re good at getting a lead in the first 6 innings. While they have some very good defenders at some positions, the Yankees overall defense is suspect. And they don’t really manufacture runs short of Ellsbury and Gardner.
Rangers tied off of Betances tonight and won off of Miller. There is no magic formula.
I don’t see a Kimbrel trade working out if Yanks aren’t willing to give up their top prospects.
Totally unnecessary for the Yankees. I think BOTH Betances and Miller are having better years then Kimbrel anyways, so that would be a really stupid move.
A better area for them to buy is SP: Leake, Gallardo, Cashner, even Ross. With Pineda on the DL, Nova hurt, and CC sucking that’s an area they actually COULD improve.
Don’t forget the ticking time bomb that is Tanaka’s elbow!
I keep thinking that it’ll be the Cubs… They have been very quiet so far, I think they are waiting patiently to strike at the zero hour with a deal for Kimbrel and Ross. Maybe taking Gyorko’s salary too. Sending Castro, Carl Edwards Jr, Billy McKinney, and a couple lower level prospects.