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The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly close to a big splash in free agency as reports suggest they're "close" to signing Craig Kimbrel. The free agent closer has historically been one of the best relief pitchers, and he's potentially on his way to one of 2023's most dominant bullpens.
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MLB reporter Ken Rosenthal reported on X, formerly known as Twitter:
"Free-agent reliever Craig Kimbrel close to deal with Orioles, source tells The Athletic. Late last night, Joel Sherman reported serious discussions. Kimbrel would be the Orioles’ closer with Felix Bautista out for the season."
The Orioles had a lot of success in the bullpen last season, but with Felix Bautista out for the season after having Tommy John surgery, help was needed. Thus, the interest in and reportedly close signing of Craig Kimbrel.
Kimbrel spent 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies and had decent success to the tune of a 3.26 ERA and 1.1 fWAR. He recorded 23 saves last season and would potentially be in line for a good year with the Orioles.
Orioles 'close' to adding reliever Craig Kimbrel
Craig Kimbrel has been in the MLB since 2010, and he is often considered one of the better closers out there. Age and regression have certainly come into play, but he's still a quality pitcher capable of doing well. That's what the Baltimore Orioles are hoping for.
The Orioles won 101 games last year and surprised the MLB world by winning the vaunted AL East over favorites New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays. This year, they're tasked with defending that crown against hungry opposition.
Their offense was great, and their pitching out of the bullpen was, too. Those things led them to a lot of success, but not having Felix Bautista for the entire season puts a damper on that.
Kimbrel is not Bautista, but he can be a valuable piece in helping them with what has been proven to work: scoring a lot of runs and handing things off to a deep and talented bullpen.
