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Red Sox ALDS Preview: Five Players Who Can’t Buckle Under Pressure

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

Oct 2, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Fans hold signs during the fifth inning in honor of Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) in a game agains the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Fans hold signs during the fifth inning in honor of Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) in a game agains the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Red Sox
Sep 23, 2016; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

Craig Kimbrel

Can the Red Sox trust Craig Kimbrel?  The team is fully standing behind the closer, but he may have Red Sox fans clutching their hearts when he comes to the mound.  Kimbrel finished the season on a rocky note.  He gave up runs in his last four appearances and has had an issue with control.

That wildness has led to him walking six of the final 13 batters he has faced and that wildness can also lead to the Red Sox losing a game or two they should win.  Kimbrel simply has to find his control and fix his mechanics because the Red Sox need him.  They do have Koji Uehara who has filled that role before.  In fact, he was monumental in the team’s 2013 World Series championship run, but Koji is not the Koji he was back then, which leads back to Kimbrel.

Following an otherwise solid season, the closer says he has fixed his problems before and is confident that he will fix them again entering the best-of-five division series.

“I’m working on little things and working on my momentum toward the plate,” Kimbrel told reporters Wednesday. “Just trying to get my foot down and trust in where the ball is going. I felt like I was cutting it a little bit. Hopefully that’s behind me now. The bullpen has been good the last few days. I felt really good and ready to go.””

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