The Chicago Cubs have lost 11 consecutive games, which has turned them from potential buyers into a team that could very well sell of some pieces before the July 30 trade deadline.
Much of the focus if Jed Hoyer and company ultimately sell will be on the team's three notable impending free agents: Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Báez. However, ESPN's Buster Olney says that if closer Craig Kimbrel is made available, he'll be "the most coveted player in the trade market," and that doesn't just refer to players on the Cubs.
Kimbrel recently learned that he's been selected to his eighth career All-Star team, further bolstering an intriguing Hall of Fame case. For the 33-year-old, it will be his first trip to the midsummer classic since 2018, and he's earned it, having converted on 20 of 22 save attempts while posting a minuscule 0.59 ERA.
It's quite the resurgence for Kimbrel, who the Cubs probably had buyer's remorse about after he posted a 6.00 ERA in 41 games between the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Now, the $16 million club/vesting option in Kimbrel's contract for 2022 hardly looks unappealing.
With all that in mind, here's a look at four contenders who could potentially be landing spots for perhaps the best reliever of his era:
Houston Astros
Craig Kimbrel is going to his eighth All-Star Game.
(Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Olney was told by an anonymous executive that he expects Kimbrel to land either with the Astros or Oakland Athletics, so let's start with the Astros. They'll enter play Wednesday at 53-33, 4 1/2 games ahead of the A's in the American League West. Currently, the Astros bullpen ranks 15th in baseball in fWAR, so it's a unit that could stand to be bolstered. If they added one of the sport's elite relievers, the Astros could return to the ALCS for the fifth consecutive season, and perhaps make an even deeper run in October.
Oakland Athletics
Craig Kimbrel is having his best season in years.
(Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
It will be interesting to see if the A's would be willing to commit to Kimbrel from a financial sense, but the American League is wide open and if they added him to a unit that currently has a 4.13 ERA, there's no reason the A's couldn't reach the World Series for the first time since 1990. And unless Kimbrel falls off a cliff in the second half of the season, the A's could probably trade him this offseason if they aren't interested in paying him $16 million in 2022. It's also possible that his 2022 option won't vest and they could decline his option for next season.
Boston Red Sox
Craig Kimbrel helped the Red Sox to win a World Series in 2018.
(Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Kimbrel struggled in the Red Sox 2018 World Series run, but he was an All-Star in each of his three seasons in Boston, even finishing sixth in American League Cy Young Award voting in 2017. Matt Barnes is an All-Star in 2021, but would probably be willing to move back into a set-up role if it allowed the Red Sox to reacquire Kimbrel. At 54-33, the Red Sox have the best record in baseball, so such a move probably would make quite a bit of sense for Chaim Bloom.
Atlanta Braves
Craig Kimbrel began his career in Atlanta.
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Admittedly, this reunion is probably even less likely than one in Boston. But no team is running away with the National League East, so for as disappointing as the Braves have been at 41-44, them winning the division for a fourth consecutive season still isn't out of the question. If that's to happen, Alex Anthopoulos will have to upgrade the bullpen. Trading for Kimbrel - who spent his first five seasons in Atlanta - would give the Braves an upgrade at closer and allow them to move Will Smith into a set-up role.
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