11:15pm: The Cubs have called Kimbrel up to the MLB roster for tomorrow’s game and optioned Tony Barnette to Triple-A Iowa, Maddon announced post-game (Twitter link via Gonzales).
4:50pm: Manager Joe Maddon announced to reporters that Kimbrel is on his way to meet the Cubs right now (Twitter link via Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune). There won’t be a formal announcement or an official corresponding roster move until at least tomorrow, it seems.
3:54pm: Kimbrel is “no longer with” the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate, reports Tommy Birch of the Des Moines Register. Birch calls Kimbrel’s debut with the Cubs “imminent.” Like Wittenmyer, Birch suggests that Kimbrel is expected to be officially called up this week.
10:20am: Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel appears on the cusp of making his long-awaited 2019 debut. The Cubs could activate the seven-time All-Star as early as Thursday or Friday, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Kimbrel is already on the Cubs’ 40-man roster.
Kimbrel, who has been pitching with Triple-A Iowa since June 16, threw a perfect, two-strikeout inning Tuesday in what could go down as his last tuneup performance. The 31-year-old right-hander has made four appearances with Iowa, including back-to-back outings over the weekend, and given up two hits, a walk and a run against four strikeouts. Kimbrel’s fastball has sat in the 95 mph range along the way. That’s down from Kimbrel’s ~98 mph career average, though there’s understandably no concern on the Cubs’ part.
“It’s not about results or velocity, it is getting in game shape and building that foundation,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said this week (via Bruce Levine of 670 The Score).
If the Epstein-led Cubs get the version of Kimbrel they’re expecting, the potential Hall of Famer could make a substantial impact on the National League playoff race. Chicago has managed a 43-36 record and a one-game lead over the Brewers in the NL Central as the season approaches the halfway point, though the Cubs’ success has come despite an unspectacular bullpen. Steve Cishek, Brandon Kintzler and Kyle Ryan have recorded solid numbers, but most of the Cubs’ other relievers have been shaky this year. It hasn’t helped the Cubs have gone without the injured Brandon Morrow, a 2018 force who went down last July and still hasn’t returned. Morrow piled up more saves than any other Cub a year ago, and his absence has left Cishek and Pedro Strop to rack up the majority of game-ending opportunities to mixed results. Strop has endured an uncharacteristically subpar season and will try to right himself in a return to a setup role when Kimbrel enters the mix.
While Kimbrel’s an all-time great with 333 saves and a 91 percent success rate for his career, his performance fell back a bit last year as he concluded his Red Sox stint. Kimbrel still posted a 2.74 ERA/3.13 FIP with 13.86 K/9 and 4.48 BB/9 over 62 1/3 innings, which is production every team would sign up for late in games. But clubs had their limits in free agency with Kimbrel, who reportedly had designs on becoming the first-ever $100MM reliever early in the offseason. Clubs scoffed at that asking price and Kimbrel’s subsequent requests, which left him without an employer for seven months.
The Kimbrel saga came to a merciful end when he agreed June 5 to join the Cubs on a three-year, $43MM deal. The draft had passed by then, meaning the Cubs didn’t have to surrender compensation other than money for the qualifying offer recipient. Chicago’s about to begin finding out whether the Kimbrel signing will go down as a wise investment.
They have 7 blown 9th innings saves I believe so yes he will make a difference.
Because I watch every day–I can’t remember THAT MUCH agony. I checked. Five blown saves in the 9th inning—they are 2-3 in those games. Much of the agony is already bestowed before the 9th. Three losses leading in the ninth is a lot of a season, let alone half a year.
Good for management for stepping up. Brewers fans wish their management had done so.
Like when they signed grandal and moose. That’s why you should never listen to fans. They think every FA is the difference or winning and losing when in fact 99% of FA make little to no impact. Good thing all the nerd GMs have completely disregarded the simpleton fans opinions now and all of them are much more successful. Now we get to hear the simpletons on here complain about collusion lol.
All the GM’s are now more successful. So if you total up all the game outcomes, there are more wins than losses. Interesting.
Yeah because all they’ve done in recent years is sign Cain, trade for Yelich, sign Moose, and sign Grandal. They clearly don’t care about the fans because they didn’t sign Kimbrel.
95mph is a big red flag if it’s accurate. Even last year, his average fastball was 97.5mph. That said, Kimbrel might not have been throwing at normal effort, instead focusing on location or the radar gun could have been a bit iffy.
nah, this is basically his spring training. I’m guessing it will continue to rise the more he throws.
If you don’t think a guy throwing 2-3mph slower than last year is a red flag… well, I guess we’ll just agree to disagree.
I was under the impression Kimbrel has been throwing as if he was preparing for the season since February. I know Keutchel was so maybe I’m getting them mixed up.
It would be a red flag if he had a normal spring training, which he didn’t, so it’s not as concerning. I’d love to know his average velocities throughout spring training in prior seasons but I don’t know if they keep track of that data.
look at Chris Sale in his first few starts this year. THAT was concerning. I think Kimbrel gets a pass for understandably not being in game shape. If it doesn’t tick back up at all it will certainly become concerning but too early for that now.
Kimbrel will be fine. Guy is probably going to be a hall of famer great guy and teammate. Anyone who says he can’t make the team they pull for better is full of it.
Sale’s FB has been down all season and think it’s by design. Sox FO realizes his slider is the nasty pitch in his repertoire and his numbers pretty much show it, except for lopsided w-l.
Believe they just want him healthy all year and no more shoulder injuries as the innings pile up on his body, especially after signing the 150m extension
But…sliders are more strenuous on the ligaments than FBs. I’m struggling to find the logic behind the argument here
Let’s hope he brings his bat with him, they need a late inning PH for Descalso.
Division is in the bag now.
Cubs have too much talent not to win the division.
163
Great win today, hater. And a save for Kimbrel.
lol!
Glad the Wontpons didnt sign him for the Bullpen. Where would he have fit in?
He will be very welcomed in the bullpen. Now if the starters can be a little more consistent…..
Really only time will tell if this is a good signing or not. No doubt the Cubs need him and he’ll likely be better than what they have but that’s not saying a lot.
It was a good signing. Period. So was Darvish. You can’t try and apply 20/20 hindsight to MLB contracts because nobody has a crystal ball. Kimbrel should have gotten a contract near double what the Cubs paid.
All free agents suck. Especially ones for any pitcher in their 30s.
you lost credibility when you said Darvish was a good sign. Kimbrel yes Darvish for THAT money? hell no
Without the benefit If hindsight the Darvish deal was pretty sensible at the time. He actually took less money than the usual media experts predicted
Now that he’s healthy Darvish has looked good, actually each of his last 9 starts have been very good. I think he’ll be fine, at 25 mil a year, not bad at all. Kimbrel waa obviously a huge get, especially for a modest contract and no prospects given up… not even a draft pick.
Only a cubs fan would say a 5.00 era is good for $25mm a year. “But he’s coming around”. Lol no he’s 33 and his best years are WAY behind.
Only a sad troll would spend as much time and energy failing to bash another team as you do…
You could at least put some effort in to it if you’re gonna make a habit of it
lol what! darvish has looked putrid. wow! meatball fans
I suppose meatballs would be on your mind with what Giolito is serving lately
So what you’re saying is the Cubs should have looked into their crystal ball to predict what Darvish was going to do?
Nobody has a crystal ball. Darvish signed for $35-50MM LESS than what it was expected he would go for.
That was a steal. Nobody knew the Cubs would misdiagnose his injury and he’d lose a season. Nobody knew he’d suddenly start giving up home runs. Darvish’s contract was a steal at the time.
While you are partially correct on the 20/20 hindsight, very few FAs have made what was predicted these previous few years so even though he signed for less than expected it was an overpay for the market. When 90% of teams are shying away from 30+ free agents it stands out when the Cubs by into one
It’s a chance they had to take. They didn’t have to dip into their already thin farm to acquire him and he’s not a rental like some of the top trade targets. It’s a gamble, no doubt, but the best fit for them, given their resources.
Good! Now the next challenge for the Cubs is to stop gifting wins to the other team.
They need to learn to hit with runners in scoring position or Kimbrel will be a waste
Hopefully Kimbrel can deliver and be that closer the Cubs need. Now, not to sound greedy, but I can dream. The Cubs need to find a reliable left hander for the bullpen. Find a quality 2d baseman or just settle in and give Bote a shot as the starting 2nd baseman. If Bote is the guy, then find a reliable, veteran backup who can play 2nd and some shortstop. One more thing. Another reliable hitter would help. So far, the Cubs have a lot of wasted roster space with players dramatically under performing-Gonzalez, Russell, Decalso, Brach, Edwards Jr.
Very true Kimbrel brings stability to the bullpen. But Gonzales, Russell and Decalso all look pathetic and that needs to be addressed ASAP
Russell and Happ could be and should be on their way out of Chicago. Descalso can be dfa’d for kimbrel
Sorry, guys. Addy is staying put to provide Gold Glove defense.
He can hit too lol. Such a POS
I hope he pitches tonight vs Atlanta and blows the save just to shut up all of the Braves fans still clamoring about him.
Well, since the article states the move won’t be announced until tomorrow, i doubt he pitches in tonight’s game.
Braves fan here clamoring….how would him blowing the save shut us up? Wouldn’t that just get Cubs fan worked up more than anything. Wouldn’t you want him to strikeout the side for the save to rub it in even more?!…I’m confused the with your thought process lol
Because if he isn’t very good all the overly sentimental Braves fans will have to find another drum to beat on
If he’s great, we’ll just get a never ending stream of fans lamenting the Braves not signing him on every Cubs story…
Braves missed out!…cheap front office!…Kimbrel should be a Brave!…Is that about right?!
More or less
He deserves the contract. For heaven’s sake, he was falsely accused of murdering his wife, had to plant corn for 5 years to avoid Lieutenant Girard, grow a beard and couldn’t practice medicine.
I may be a little confused here…….
Just a little. This is the guy on Green Acres.
AHHHHHHH! That explains the pig. Thanks.
and the theme song begins to play in my head lol
They deserve one another.
7:04 PM Kimbrel is in a limo
7:08 PM: Kimbrel checks his phone for new notifications
Will he be available tonight? That’s all that matters.
Won’t matter if he is cubs won’t never have the lead with Bryant batting second double play machine
Yes a guy with a career high of 8 DP in a season is a DP machine because he has two in one series…
people tend to like to make things up about Bryant to bash him, for some odd reason.
Can’t they track his phone to tell us exactly where he is RIGHT NOW?
Velocity is down but I’m not concern. 95MPH is still great and his velocity should continue to increase. Might as well put him out there, see how he does, and then work out the kinks during the All-Star break.
so were is he now? rest stop or is he on the road? is he facing tough weather? cubs fans need to know now!
The gas can has arrived. Just light the match.
Kimbrel… Kimbrel… Kimbrel… Kim… Kim… ki… ki… k… k…
…And the boo birds make their presence known
Thursday AM update: Kimbrell stopped at a Dunkin, got his latte, and took a pee-pee….unknown at this time if he washed his hands after……
Too little, too late. The cubs are toast. Good thing for Theo that cubs fans are sheep. One championship in 100+ years is all it takes to keep’em happy. Enjoy watching it burn.
Why are White Sox fans always so bitter?
Oh come on. If you are going to troll you can do better than that. “What good is a closer if you cant hit with runners in scoring position?” See, its really not that hard. The flaw in your attempt is it is easily identified as trolling. You can take the exact same comment and replace it with the White Sox.
“Too little, too late. The Sox are toast. Good thing for Hahn that White Sox fans are sheep. One championship in 100+ years is all it takes to keep’em happy. Enjoy watching it burn.”
Love it ChiSox—“one championship in 100+ years”……funny—White Sox, 1918-2018 (101 years = 100+)—-exactly ONE championship. It’s amusing how the Sox get compared to the Cubs even when you’re not trying.
you’ve been predicting that all season and yet the Cubs are still the division favorites
at some point you’re just going to have to accept reality. it always wins.
I really wish braves would replace francour he is absolutely horrible with chip. But then again all announcers are horrible these days
Did Kimberly bring that beard with him? He ought to leave that behind somewhere. Does he realize his baseball cards will show that horrendous thing for all time?
Damn… sorry, I didn’t mean to disrespect him by saying “Kimberly”. That was spell check!
Well at least there is no worry about his velocity it was there