White Sox GM unsure of Kimbrel's fit after post-trade struggles
Craig Kimbrel's future on the South Side of Chicago appears to be cloudy.
Kimbrel could be wearing a new uniform in 2022 despite the White Sox exercising the 33-year-old's $16-million option last week. General manager Rick Hahn confirmed Tuesday that the team's still deciding what to do with the All-Star closer after he struggled with the club following a midseason trade.
"It didn't work out the way we wanted last year, so perhaps there is a better use of his skills than how we were doing it," Hahn said at the GM meetings, according to Maddie Lee of NBC Sports Chicago. "So we have to reconsider his usage with us versus a potential trade."
The White Sox acquired Kimbrel, baseball's active saves leader and a four-time Reliever of the Year, from the crosstown Cubs at the trade deadline for second baseman Nick Madrigal and pitcher Codi Heuer. Kimbrel turned back the clock while with the Cubs and was a dominant All-Star closer, but he wasn't nearly as strong after the deal.
Kimbrel's 2021 splits
| Team | IP | ERA | FIP | WHIP | K/9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cubs | 36.2 | 0.49 | 1.10 | 0.71 | 15.7 |
| White Sox | 23.0 | 5.09 | 4.56 | 1.22 | 14.1 |
Kimbrel's role in the bullpen changed with the White Sox, as fellow All-Star Liam Hendriks is their closer.
"I don't know if we're ever going to have an exact answer why he didn't work out over those eight weeks, but certainly if we're going to include him in our plans for the future, we have to find a way to maximize his abilities," Hahn added, per ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "It's easy to look at the results and work your way backward for an explanation and say, 'Well, the role wasn't what he was used to, so it must be the role.' He approached it the same way he would approach closing opportunities."