Boston Red Sox: 5 wicked predictions for 2019 and beyond
Mr. Wild thing returns
Well Joe Kelly is obviously not coming back after signing a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the team’s wild closer will be back.
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That’s right, after all the rumors of the team potentially signing David Robertson or Zach Britton to come in as their new closer, a slow market sets up the return of Craig Kimbrel.
Following Robertson’s two-year deal with the Philadelphia Phillies and Britton going back to the New York Yankees, Kimbrel and the Boston Red Sox agree on a two-year, $30 million deal with an opt out after the first year.
Similar to that of J.D. Martinez, Kimbrel will out to prove he is still one of the top closers in the game after shaky performances in the postseason.
Some of that shakiness will return at the start of the 2019 MLB season as Kimbrel will blow a save and almost blow another. Kimbrel’s wildness will have Boston Red Sox fans wondering if bringing him back was a mistake by Dave Dombrowski as Matt Barnes starts to prove he is capable of closing games.
But, after being blasted in the Boston media, Craig Kimbrel gets it together by the start of June and puts together another 40-plus save season leading him to opt out and test the market once again in 2020.