Injured Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel is progressing toward a return, but that won’t come until at least the weekend, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com reports. The big-money in-season signing has been on the injured list with right elbow inflammation since Sept. 1, making him eligible to come back as early as Thursday. Kimbrel’s IL placement came on the heels of yet another disappointing performance, in which he yielded three earned runs on two hits (including a homer) in two-thirds of an inning. He’s one of the greatest closers ever, which is why the Cubs guaranteed him $43MM over three years, yet Kimbrel hasn’t resembled his dominant self this season. While the 31-year-old has converted 13 of 15 save opportunities, he owns a bloated 5.68 ERA with 12.32 K/9 against 5.21 BB/9, and has given up just under three HRs per nine across 19 innings of work.
- The Dodgers clinched their seventh straight NL West title Tuesday, but they’re also dealing with some unwelcome news: Outfielder Alex Verdugo isn’t nearing a return, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. An oblique strain forced the rookie to the IL back on Aug. 6, but he suffered a back injury on a rehab assignment and will sit out “for at least a few days,” Castillo writes. Verdugo has been a valuable contributor this year, having slashed .294/.342/.475 with 2.2 fWAR in 377 plate appearances, but the loaded Dodgers have carried on fine without him thus far.
- Padres manager Andy Green isn’t willing to guarantee that banged up outfielder Hunter Renfroe will play again this season, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune relays. For now, Renfroe’s going to rest on account of right elbow and ankle problems. “Hunter has battled through a lot this second half,” said Green, who added, “There have been a number of days he was unavailable and we’ve managed not to talk about it.” We covered Renfroe’s significant second-half struggles earlier Tuesday, though it now seems possible health problems have been a major cause for his summer slump.
- Injuries have prevented Diamondbacks right-hander Taijuan Walker from taking a big league mound since April 2018, but he said Tuesday (via Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) he’s still hoping to make an appearance this year. The 27-year-old sat out the majority of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery and has dealt with shoulder troubles this season. However, he threw his first bullpen session in four months Tuesday and came out unscathed. Walker’s absence is among the reasons the Diamondbacks’ starting staff has been shaky this year, though the club has nonetheless stayed in the National League wild-card race.
Losing Verdugo stings but if thats all that they are down going into October thats not too bad
Kimbrel is just another long line of disaster filled free agent signings made by Theo. Just because Kimbrel was once great doesn’t mean you give him that kind of juice. No other team was beating down his door. What has happened to a Cubs team that was loaded with promise in 2016. Wow it is sad.
Do we really know what other teams were offering Kimbrel? He signed pretty quickly after the draft pick fell off so I’m assuming quite a few teams were in on him. Pretty early to call it a disaster signing
Have you seen him pitch?
Disaster? Wishful thinking on your part when of course the story hasn’t yet been written….but OK…if it helps yo sleep at night.
What are you talking about? Larry is right no other teams came to kimbrel. The cubs only signed kimbrel for his name and that is a dumb reason to do so.
Can’t say it’s a disaster yet. He barely had time to settle in before this, no spring training and whatnot. The true value of this signing may not be apparent until next year, seeing as how the Cubs are probably done soon.
Not overly a disaster—but as Theo goes, the first time I feel he panicked and made a signing way outside the box that he lives in. He has been steadfast through the Cubs years that he would not sign a closer to a long term deal at a high price. I think 2.5/$43 falls into that mode.
When they got Chapman it was clearly a rental. Same for Wade Davis to an extent. They were open that they were not getting into that 5/$80 stratosphere for a closer.
Obvioulsly, he overspent on Morrow, but his mode has always been to bullpens at about two years deals, even at a slight overpay. The Kimbrel signing was out of his box at what has made him successful over his tenures. Also, hamstrings some of the money that he will need to build a pen for next year….Strop, Morrow, Kintzler, Cishek, all off the books so a lot needed rebuilding to be done.
If Kimbrel and Diaz in 2019 aren’t (and I’m a Mets fan so I’m not just picking on the guy for no reason) proof that closers are overhyped clowns I don’t know what is.
Theo makes moves…cubs fans piss and moan. Theo sits out….more of same. Darvish was a risk…Kimber might be past his prime… time will tell. If cubs miss playoffs…….dodgers did nothing to improve their bullpen closer….October will be gloomy again.
I can’t believe there are so many people complaining about the Kimbrel signing. Look what Cishek did last night…yikes. Cubs need him back yesterday.