Before he was traded to the Dodgers, Craig Kimbrel had his best moments as a pitcher. The song is called "2:33."
A rare one-for-one trade between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Chicago White Socks cleared up uncertainties for both teams.
The deal will allow the Dodgers to give more playing time to the promising young player, who was left without a defined role in the wake of the Freddie Freeman signing. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts could be more flexible with his usage of Blake Treinen if Kimbrel were to slot in as the closer.
Since exercising their $16 million option on Kimbrel, the White Sox have been looking to trade him. Kimbrel was used in an effort to plug a hole in their outfield because of their depth in the bullpen.
Pollock, who will make $10 million in 2022 and carries a $10 million player option for 2023, will likely slide in as the White Sox right fielder, prompting Eloy Jimenez to remain in left and Andrew Vaughn to slot in as the designated hitter, further solidifying what was already a potent lineup. The left-handed hitting Gavin Sheets is also in the mix, with Chicago possibly rotating all four of those players through three spots.
The Dodgers checked in on Kimbrel before the trade deadline but were hesitant to acquire him given the presence of Kenley Jansen. Kimbrel fills the ninth-inning void that was left when Jansen signed with the Atlanta Braves, allowing the rest of theirRelievers to move back a spot. With Kimbrel out, the Dodgers can use Victor Gonzalez, Alex Vesia, Daniel Hudson, Tommy Kahnle, Phil Bickford, andDustin May.
Kimbrel has been among the best closers in the sport for the better part of a decade, with In the first four months of the year, Kimbrel allowed two earned runs and struck out 64 hitters, but he was still able to keep the Cubs in the game. In 24 regular-season appearances, Kimbrel's earned run average ballooned to 5.09 in a non-closing role.
Pollock had 52 home runs and 150 RBIs in 258 games for the Dodgers. The former All-Star and Gold Glove Award winner was criticized for his early struggles in the playoffs, but he turned that around with a.933 OPS in October.
The White Sox agreed to terms on a one-year, $7.45 million contract with righthanded pitcher Lucas Giolito. He went 11-9 with a 3.53 earned run average in 31 starts last season.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
