Craig Kimbrel continues second-half regression
In Tuesday's nightcap of the Philadelphia Phillies' doubleheader versus the Washington Nationals, Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel entered the game in the top of the ninth inning. Since the game was tied 4-4, it was a non-save situation. But rather than keep the Nationals at bay, Kimbrel surrendered a solo home run to Joey Meneses, giving Washington an eventual 5-4 victory.
The Phillies signed Kimbrel to a one-year contract in the offseason in the hopes that he could resolve their longstanding issue with closers. It was a smart move, considering that Kimbrel's 413 career saves rank eighth in major league history, and second among active pitchers. His season got off to a shaky start, most infamously allowing a walk-off grand slam to the Dodgers' Max Muncy on May 3.
After that, however, Kimbrel rebounded in a big way. Between May 9 and July 7, his ERA was a miniscule 1.08, and his 14-for-14 record in save opportunities earned him a spot on the National League All-Star team. In fact, it was Kimbrel who closed the Midsummer Classic in Seattle.
But since the All-Star break, Kimbrel has shown signs of regression. On July 23 at Cleveland, he blew his first save of the season. The next night, in a tie game against Baltimore, he surrendered an RBI double in the top of the ninth inning, tallying his first loss since May 3. He blew another save in Miami on August 2 and took his third loss of the season on Tuesday night.
Kimbrel has chosen a bad time to start slumping. The National League wild-card race is still tight among seven different teams. Hopefully, this is just a blip in an otherwise solid season for Kimbrel. If he continues struggling, though, the Phillies will be undone yet again by their inconsistent bullpen.
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