Baltimore Orioles

Craig Kimbrel is on the verge of joining the Baltimore Orioles.

Per The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the nine-time All-Star is close to a deal with the reigning American League East champs.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported on Tuesday night that talks between Kimbrel's camp and the Orioles were picking up steam.

Baltimore needed to come out of this offseason with at least one late-inning reliever. Félix Bautista, an All-Star last season, will likely miss all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery on Oct. 9.

Kimbrel doesn't necessarily have to be the Orioles closer if they want to test out Yennier Cano, who had a 2.11 ERA in 72 appearances last season, in the ninth-inning role. But they needed to replace the 61 innings Bautista gave them in 2023.

The Orioles will be the fifth different team Kimbrel has played for since the start of 2021. He spent 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies after signing a one-year deal worth $10 million as a free agent.

Prior to joining the Phillies, Kimbrel split time in 2021 between the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox. He was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022.

Last season in Philadelphia was something a rebound year for Kimbrel. He was named to the NL All-Star team, finishing with a 3.26 ERA, 23 saves and 94 strikeouts in 69.0 innings pitched.

There was some uncertainty about Kimbrel's future as a closer coming off a rough 2022 with the Dodgers. He had a 3.75 ERA (4.21 after the All-Star break) and was demoted from being the closer late in the season before being left off the National League Division Series roster.

Despite his improved performance with the Phillies, Kimbrel still had some hiccups along the way that will be worth keeping an eye on going forward. He allowed a career-high 10 home runs and had the second-highest home-run rate of his career (1.3 per nine innings).

Going into his age-36 season, Kimbrel is no longer the sure thing in the ninth inning that he was at his very best with the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox. But he's learned to pitch effectively at this stage of his career in a role that's extremely valuable.

Adding Kimbrel to their bullpen at least gives the Orioles more depth and a high-ceiling at the closer spot. He's been incredibly durable with at least 63 appearances in each of the past three seasons.

As Félix Bautista rehabs his elbow after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October, the Baltimore Orioles need to find a closer for the 2024 season.

Craig Kimbrel agreed to a one-year, $13 million contract on Wednesday, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported Baltimore were "seriously engaged" with Kimbrel.

The Orioles haven't formally ruled Bautista out for the 2024 season, but they did sign him to a two-year contract in September that covers one pre-arbitration year and his first arbitration season in 2025.

Jeff Passan of ESPN noted Kimbrel will be the favorite to close games for Baltimore with Bautista set to miss an extended period, but noted Yennier Cano would be in the mix for high-leverage innings as well.

Bautista was arguably the most dominant closer in Major League Baseball last season. He finished with 33 saves, 30 hits allowed and 110 strikeouts in 61 innings across 56 total appearances.

There was some hope Bautista would be able to avoid Tommy John surgery when his elbow initially started to flare up. He was originally placed on the injured list on Aug. 26 with what general manager Mike Elias called "some degree of injury" to his UCL.

"It's less than 24 hours now and that's all I've got," Elias said. "He's going on the IL. We don't have a plan beyond that. We have not firmed up any kind of timetable or anything of that nature"

The elbow got to a point where Bautista needed to undergo reconstruction surgery. His absence was felt in the playoffs when the Baltimore bullpen allowed seven earned runs in three games to the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.

Kimbrel has also been volatile in the postseason at this stage of his career, but he's remained effective during the regular season. The nine-time All-Star had a 3.26 ERA with 94 strikeouts in 69 innings with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023.

If the Orioles work out an agreement with Kimbrel, they could make him their closer and use Yennier Cano as the primary setup man. Cano could also handle ninth-inning duties, with Kimbrel coming in earlier in games.

Expectations are high in Baltimore for 2024 coming off a 101-win season and an AL East title for the first time nine years. Adding at least one reliever will help solve a problem the team had down the stretch this year.

The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly interested in bullpen help as they look to defend their American League East crown.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Baltimore is considering Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman, Jordan Hicks and Robert Stephenson for its bullpen since it will likely be priced out of the more lucrative Josh Hader market.

That the Orioles are looking for options at the backend of their bullpen doesn't come as a surprise.

After all, Félix Bautista will likely miss the entire 2024 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He was an All-Star in 2023 with a 1.48 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 110 strikeouts and 33 saves in 61 innings.

It is quite the hole to fill, and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com previously reported the team had an "urgency to bring in a proven closer."

Chapman and Kimbrel would fit that bill as two of the more high-profile relief pitchers of their generation.

Chapman is a seven-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion, although he is 35 years old and has a combined 3.52 ERA the past three seasons. His best days as a lights-out closer are likely behind him.

Perhaps the same can be said about the 35-year-old Kimbrel, who has a World Series title and nine All-Star selections on his resume. He posted a 3.26 ERA for the Philadelphia Phillies last season.

Hicks is younger at 27 and had something of a bounce-back effort in 2023 with a 3.29 ERA after posting a 5.40 mark in 2021 and 4.84 tally in 2022. Stephenson doesn't have the same closing experience with three career saves in eight years, but he would be another solid arm in the bullpen.

It remains to be seen which target the Orioles come away with this offseason, if any, but they are reportedly looking to make up for the loss of Bautista through free agency.

The Baltimore Orioles are reportedly seeking improvements to their bullpen this offseason, and they have a few names in mind.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Orioles "seek a back-end reliever and have contacted Maryland product and ex-Oriole farmhand Josh Hader plus Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman and Jordan Hicks."

Heyman also listed the Orioles among the teams that "are believed in the trade market for starters." Baltimore reportedly tried to trade for Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Dylan Cease and could revisit that pursuit this offseason.

The Orioles had a solid bullpen in 2023, as its collective 3.55 ERA during the regular season was the fifth-lowest in the majors. Closer Felix Bautista tied for eighth in MLB with 33 saves. Adding any of the players Heyman listed as his setup man would give Baltimore a dangerous combination.

Hader also tied for eighth with 33 saves for the San Diego Padres. He's a strikeout machine with 85 in 56.1 innings of work, and his 1.28 ERA was the second-lowest of his career. However, Heyman noted that Hader "may be a bit pricey" for the Orioles.

Chapman, who split the 2023 season between the Kansas City Royals and the World Series champion Texas Rangers, enjoyed a bounce-back year with a 3.09 ERA, his lowest since 2020. Kimbrel had a 3.26 ERA and 23 saves for the Philadelphia Phillies. Hicks split the season between the Toronto Blue Jays and St. Louis Cardinals and had a 3.29 ERA.

The Orioles finished with the best record in the American League at 101-61 this past season. They will be seeking a better ending in 2024 after being eliminated in the ALDS.

A highly expected result became a reality on Monday as Baltimore Orioles star Gunnar Henderson and Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll were named American and National League Rookies of the Year.

Henderson and Carroll dominated the voting ballots, with both of them being unanimously selected for their respective awards. It's just the fifth time in MLB history that both Rookies of the Year were unanimous selections.

Both Henderson and Carroll were widely regarded as the favorites to earn the top rookie honors in their respective leagues after they emerged as superstars during the 2023 season.

Henderson, who beat out Boston Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas and Cleveland Guardians pitcher Tanner Bibee for the award, established himself as one of the faces of an Orioles team that finished with the best record in the AL at 101-61. He led all rookies with 28 home runs and 66 extra-base hits while adding 82 RBI and ranking first on the Orioles with 100 runs scored.

The No. 1 prospect entering the season, Henderson was also outstanding in the field, ranking third among AL shortstops with 10 defensive runs saved despite making just 64 starts at the position. He made 68 starts at third base and also saw time as designated hitter, earning the AL Silver Slugger Award for utility players. He's the first Orioles player to be named Rookie of the Year since Gregg Olson in 1989.

Carroll also seemed like a no-brainer to take home some hardware after a magical rookie campaign that included Arizona's first playoff appearance since 2017 and a trip to the 2023 World Series. He beat out New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga and Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder James Outman to become the first player in Diamondbacks franchise history to win the NL award.

Carroll recorded 25 home runs and 54 stolen bases this season, becoming the first rookie in MLB history to put together a 25-50 campaign. He led the D-Backs with 161 hits and a .285 batting average while also adding 76 RBI. He brought excitement to the Diamondbacks with his blazing baserunning and versatility on defense while playing multiple outfield positions.

The Diamondbacks knew what they had in Carroll early, signing the 23-year-old to an eight-year, $111 million contract extension in March. He more than lived up to the deal and will likely be an NL MVP candidate for years to come.

Next up for the MLB awards announcements will be Manager of the Year, which will be unveiled on Tuesday.