Free agent hurlers Dallas Keuchel and Craig Kimbrel are both expected to sign somewhere shortly after midnight EST on June 2 when they will no longer be tied to draft pick compensation, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Josh Tolentino. Craig Edwards from Fangraphs recently put together a valuation of the compensation cost every team would face were they to sign either Keuchel or Kimbrel before the June 2nd expiration date. At this stage, however, even if there were a team willing to stomach the loss of a draft pick, it behooves these free agents to wait out this final week and see if their “lightened load” helps spark a bidding war – “war” being a relative term here.
Where these two end up will continue to be one of the stories of the season. Despite their well-catalogued need for a starting pitcher, the Padres do not appear ready to buy on Keuchel. The Rays, meanwhile, remain in touch with both pitchers, per Rosenthal and Tolentino. Common assumptions about “need” would point to Keuchel as the natural fit for the Rays, but Kimbrel may actually be the more likely of the two. The Rays certainly know how to use a good reliever, though Kimbrel would likely have to open his mind to a less-than-traditional closer’s role.
On the other hand, the Rays have to be intrigued by the possibility of rolling into the second half of the season sporting a top-four of Blake Snell, Charlie Morton, Keuchel and Tyler Glasnow. Health and contract negotiations aside, such a traditional powerhouse rotation would be a fun twist for the revolutionizing Rays. Even if they are still Facebook friends with Keuchel and Kimbrel, however, they’ll need to outbid the Yankees at the very least to snag Keuchel. For Kimbrel, if you can name a contender, you can find a potential landing spot.
Of course, this conversation would make a whole lot of sense were this December. Since it’s now late-May, and neither pitcher seems likely to sign before June 3rd at the earliest, conjecture about widespread interest (on my part) in Kimbrel is a tad comical, even if bullpens are languishing left and right throughout the league. Still, there’s widespread interest in winning, even if evidence often points to the contrary. Point being, though they’ve gone unsigned up til now, the Rays will not be alone in courting the services of Kimbrel (or Keuchel) come early June.
Cubs better be on Kimbrel,
Cubs don’t need, nor should wan Kimbrel.
Why would the Cubs not want the only closer that’s been as dominant as Mariano Rivera?
“As dominant as Mariano Rivera” first of all thanks for the laugh. Did you miss the end of last season, and the playoffs?
“as dominant as Mariano Rivera”……that is totally delusional.
“as dominant as Mariano Rivera” What the HELL are you on?
For most of his career that isn’t wrong. Recency bias has people
Forgetting how savagely unhittable he’s been historically.
When dealing with relievers, recency bias is justified. It’s always about what they’ve done lately when is comes to whether or not your team needs them.
What Kimbrel was doesn’t matter in the context of who should pay for him now.
look at the stats and tell me again where I’m wrong.
Rivera wasn’t that great of a pitcher. He just played for a very long time. Just like Jeter is somehow a top shortstop even though he was terrible at defense.
Riviera wasn’t that great? A 2.21 era over 19 seasons? Look at his ERA+, his post seasons, and pretty much ANY stats and get back with me. He is the greatest relief pitcher ever. It’s not even all that close
Kimbrel was tipping his pitches before Eric Gagne let him know, and he was fine after than
“Rivera wasn’t that great of a pitcher” Get some simple baseball knowledge help.
Kimbrel was having more problems than just tipping pitches, that does not explain his lack of control and the fact that he was not exactly “lights out” against the Dodgers.
You sir are an imbecile!!!
The Cubs need a closer. That would get everybody back to their normal/preferred roles. If the Cubs get a true closer, the Central is theirs.
Cishek is crushing right now! I almost grabbed him on my fantasy team
3.13 ERA/3.57 FIP/3.85xFIP/0.3 fWAR is crushing? Alright.
Except for yesterday.
That actually ain’t bad at all in the context of a reliever.
Cubs have no coin too spend.
All your base are belong to us
What?
old gaming joke apparently…from 80’s arcade or something lol
Somebody set up us the bomb
Im hoping my twins go after some pitching I’m beyond happy with offense but I think we’re couple good pitchers off of really having a great year I’m just not be sure our pitching going hold up if we add couple pitchers by trade deadline watch out
Name spelled wrong in the headline
Thanks!
Yes it’s spelled Braves not Rays. Kind of close but you’re missing a few letters and you have a Y in there
then it would really be wrong…no way the Braves go after them if a bidding war actually happens after draft. I hope I’m wrong but they haven’t shown anything to think otherwise
Rays should sign Kimbrel , Trade for Rendon , and make a trade for another starter.
And still not win the east. Their only bet is the wild card and I’m pulling for them
I want the rays to win the east finally, But I think somehow boston will somehow work their way back to the top before the deadline.
They both need to sign with teams in the AL. Yes, this is totally for fantasy baseball reasons.
Yes! Both free agents should take that into serious consideration!
don’t let this article distract you from the fact that Keuchel and Kimbrel are still unsigned
Oh man! It’s selfish as I’ve held onto Kimbrel all year in fantasy only to watch him become the 3rd inning specialist out of the Rays bullpen.
Not sure why people automatically assume this. How many times have the Rays used Jose Alvarado as an opener? They clearly value having strong relievers at the back end just like everyone else. Kimbrel would certainly close full time for them.
Pirates need Keuchel, unfortunately Bob Nutting doesn’t know how to spend money properly
The Dodgers really need Kimbrel but the chances of them pulling that trigger are between zero and none.
That would be a nasty thought, kenley has been terrible this year. Should have traded him and signed kimbrel in offseason.
no one would have traded for a closer with a heart condition in the offseason
Not suggesting a trade anyway, but an addition. The Dodgers are weak in the setup role. Kelly was supposed to plug that gap, but who really believes he will ever regain a form he never really had? Also, in previous postseasons Jansen was used often on consecutive days and for 4-5 out saves. Does anyone believe he can still stand up to that amount of use? Finally, Jansen is playing his opt-out year. If he walks, what is the Dodgers’ plan to fill his role next year? Kimbrel answers all of these questions.
I’ve never understood this type of thinking. After last year and his usage, people sincerely expect/ed Jansen to opt out of 38/2? People also expected the Dodgers to try to juggle the egos of Jansen & Kimbrel? It seemed clear after the Reds trade that they wanted to rid themselves of the ego conflicts. Beyond even the struggles from Kimbrel last year, Kimbrel didn’t pass the sniff test for this team, in a practical real life sense much the same as certain SPs bandied about this offseason. This team does need some help. I think that’s clear, but the more and more this is shaping up it’s becoming apparent that they need options from the Left side, most likely a LH set up guy and a soon to be FA LOOGY. No one knows if Cingrani can stay healthy or evolve back to that level, Ferguson has taken major steps back, Alexander isn’t able to be the guy they are trying to turn him into, & Urías’ situation appears to be tenuous especially after the clear zero tolerance stand they’ve shown in the past. Even then there’s zero reason for Kimbrel to take a multi year when he’s probably going to be lowballed and without a QO standing over his head in the upcoming offseason. And the Dodgers aren’t paying 3+ expensive multi year RPs.
They are in the perfect spot where they have the pieces, and would behoove them to continue shedding from the glut at the upper levels. Guys who have no real shot in the org & uber talented lotto tickets. The Dodgers again will experience a roster crunch this coming offseason, and no real glaring positional issues. They need to be in the Smith, Doolittle etc.. sweepstakes not hoping and praying to blow their threshold space to hope Kimbrel is ready and then scramble when his isn’t with cheap little patchwork options.
I’ve never understood why any fan concerns themselves with player egos, as if they are in a position to pose as the team psychologist who knows the detailed personality profiles of all the players, which ones have conflicts with the others, their inner needs and wants and insecurities, and so on. Fundamentally this is a parlor game based on little more than guesswork. I won’t play.
As for Jansen’s opt out, we just don’t know yet what he will do but we have to know it will depend on how he finishes out this season. So let’s play a logical game where we have enough information to see the possible outcomes. Let’s say Jansen continues to decline in effectiveness and does not opt out. Where does that leave the Dodgers? Saddled with two more years of a declining closer. Now let’s consider he makes a substantial recovery and does opt out. Where does that leave the Dodgers? With no closer at all.
The simple logic of the situation shows that Kimbrel provides an answer no matter which way Jansen goes. He also of course provides the setup and situational closer that the Dodgers need right now, and especially in the postseason when we have to know Jansen will be taxed again as he has always been. Only now the well isn’t so deep, is it? If you think the answer comes up somebody else, then who is that somebody else?
As for whether the Dodgers would do that little thing, I started out by saying the chances were between zero and none. So you can see I agree that they won’t want to spend the money. Where we disagree is on whether they should spend the money. I think they should when they can make the team better, when they could make it worthy of a world championship. That’s still the goal, isn’t it?
So now you should understand the thinking. I thought it was plenty clear before.
Jansen’s not walking
It’s the basic reality of the situation, whether or not you’re concerned, doesn’t change the existence of it. Whether you want him to holds no barring if he’s not willing to embrace the role. Jansen has already spoken about it, and it’s clear where he stands.
What made Jansen the 80 M CL no longer exists, multi inning 95MPH plus CUT. The market also dictates his leaving ~40 M on the table is beyond questionable as it no longer values former ace closers as highly, especially with his usage soon to be 32. In fact, it would have been comparable for his services last off-season. Then add in Kimbrel is still on the market, and probably will be next offseason.
The Dodgers need some reinforcements it’s pretty clear, and need to be willing to spend on reinforcements not attempting to patch work it like last year. But I guess where we differ is in the belief of what they need. They need a guy that can basically compliment Baez with the ability to get up and dominate the heart of the lineup whether it’s the 6th, 7th, or the 8th inning, preferably from the LH side. They clearly also need a guy that can get a LH out situationally. And in the previous post I’ve provided you with the two options I would love to see them target. This doesn’t seem like a difficult decision for him. Some team will be willing to offer him plus money with an ability to close and ability to shuffle guys around him.
Just to be clear, I don’t accept that this is the basic reality of the situation. Sure Jansen believes the closer role is his to lose. Good, he should think that. But if we know anything at all about how this FO operates, it’s with the belief that nobody is special or is owed a role. We’ve seen this play out again and again.
I am about as certain as anyone who doesn’t hang out in the Dodger clubhouse can be that Jansen does not expect to be coddled. The man himself says he isn’t afraid of anything. So that should settle any questions on the matter of his feelings being hurt if the Dodgers backed him up with the best arm available. I believe he and everybody else on that team should be and would be willing take a little nick on the pride paint to win a World Series. If not they shouldn’t be on the team, and I’d bet my last dollar that the FO looks at it the same way.
Maybe you wouldn’t cringe to see Jansen dropped into the ninth inning of a close postseason game for the second or third day in a row. I know I would and I don’t see your plan for that not being a likely scenario. I don’t see the Dodgers’ plan for it, either. I’d be shocked if they forked over for Kimbrel. I think they should, but I’d be astonished if it actually happened. More likely they will go bargain shopping again, try to catch someone (like Doolittle) on a bounce-back.
And yes, they need that lefty too.
The Cardinals need to sign Dallas Keuchel. But they won’t. Ownership and management here have managed to brainwash themselves into thinking that the organizational depth that we have is worthy of anything other than a cat litter box full of turds. No one over evaluates their own prospects quite like the Cardinals do.
I know. And when the media questions them on it they get all annoyed and defensive. I know they try hard and they compete and that’s great.
The narrative that we’re ungrateful fans isn’t fair IMO. Because they openly said they’re not rebuilding we’re always gonna compete, so they set the expectations not us. If they would have said, hey we’re gonna retool for a few years cards fans would be like, ah sucks but okay. Let’s get some new blood. they might have lost some of the Mojo they once had.
Hey what did Dallas Keuchel chal say to Craig Kimbrel? It would be ROYAL punishment to sign anywhere that isn’t St. Louis. Bastards need to pick already!!!
Going to be interesting, but do Rays fans really think that they will pull the trigger? That’s laughable. That team has pulled a comp check like for ever and still has not invested in that team… which basically says one thing, the owner only cares about his pockets…. just saying!
Imagine if the Rays end up with all of Kimbrel, Keuchel, and Rendon, ooohh boy watch out!!
and trade for somebody like Bumgarner or Mike Minor.
Twins should woo Kimbrel over.
Twins should trade for madbum and go all in for the postseason.
if there’s a bidding war between the Yankees and Rays as expected for Dallas Keuchel, at least in Florida he won’t have to shave his beard or pay income tax that’s two positives for them.
I wish the Pirates would be in on both pitchers. The rotation and bullpen is pretty beat up. Tallion won’t be back until after July and god knows who else could go down with injury this year. Only thing blocking this move would be if Pirates actually (I personally think he isn’t ready) think Mitch Keller is ready for the show. Beyond Keller, there is no depth for the rotation.
Is there any indication that either pitchers asking price has come down to reality?
Kimbrel not only wants the $ he thinks he is worth, but also wants to be the unquestioned closer. It would also be nice to sign with a contender. He would get all this plus be able to “go home” if he signs with the Braves, who desperately need him. Plus with all the $ the Braves saved on the long-term contracts with Acuna and Albies, the $ is certainly there to be spent.
The Rays do make sense and should have money. They can cry about no one attending when fans cry about trading Snell in two-three years. What’s their average attendance 27-28th in the league.