Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: MLB Insider Still Predicting Craig Kimbrel to LA

The Dodgers are clearly set on winning the trade deadline. On Thursday LA president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman completed a deal for left-hander pitcher Danny Duffy from the Royals. He followed that up by (reportedly) securing a trade for Washington All-Stars Max Scherzer and Trea Turner.

Normal clubs and front office brass would call that beyond a job well done… But Andrew ain’t exactly normal.



In fact, one MLB insider is counting on that. MLB.com writer Anthony Castrovince laid out a bold prediction late on Thursday night. Craig Kimbrel will be a Dodger before the 1 pm PT deadline. Moreover, it was his number one bold prediction.

The Dodgers aren’t done. They’re getting Craig Kimbrel.

Because if you’ve got the chance to have both 2017 Relievers of the Year (Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen), you’ve got to take it (even if it’s not ’17). Seriously, though, don’t put it past the Dodgers to rock our world yet again. They mean business.

Kimbrel has been linked to the Dodgers once or twice over the last few weeks, but never all that heavily. Of course, that’s just the way Andrew Friedman likes to work. In the shadows.

2021 Dodgers Trade Deadline: A Day-of Journal As Moves Happen

With LA clearly blowing well past the luxury tax threshold this deadline, picking up one of the all-time great closers on a day that you officially pick up one of the all-time great starting pitchers feels just ho hum.

The 33-year-old Kimbrel has had a career renaissance in 2021. In 39 games, the right-handed reliever has a 0.49 ERA with 23 saves and 64 strikeouts in 36.2 innings pitched. Sure, the Dodgers still have Kenley Jansen around, but they also have Corey Seager around and just picked up an All-Star shortstop.

Reportedly.

With Kimbrel and Jansen alone, the LA bullpen would have nearly 700 career saves ready for any situation late in games.

Will the move happen? After Thursday’s (reported) acquisition of future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer, I don’t think you can rule anything out.

NEXT: Danny Duffy Signing Officially Announced, DJ Peters DFA’d

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

6 Comments

  1. The One franchise that can afford to buy a championship , but…… still has to beat SF.
    The only other franchise… The NY Yankee’s.

    1. Robby, the team still hast to play the games on the field and not on paper or a computer. Buying would have been the case had this been the off season and Dodgers got these guys as free agents. But wss what happens.

    1. Yep. Looks like the only Dodger weakness now is the closer spot. But there’s still a few hours left until the trade deadline. I’m pretty sure AF won’t be sleeping for awhile. And I still like Knebel (when healthy), Trienen, Gonzalez, and even Graterol to close by committee prior to the postseason, to see who can step up. I know Graterol has had a rough year so far, but I have a feeling about him picking it up. Let them all close. See who gets it done.

  2. I wonder what was more attractive to the Cubs that the Dodgers couldn’t match the White Sox? The Sox gave up only Madrigal ( 24 yr. old Inf), and Heuer (25 yr. old RP), to the Cubs for Kimbrel. Both comparable to maybe Lux or Z. Mck. and Gonzalez or Vesia. and M. White.

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