The Chicago White Sox’s 2021 deal with Craig Kimbrel has become a missed move with his dealings with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
So much for another tour with Craig Kimbrill. The Chicago White Sox traded the active keeping leader (372) for the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for defensive back AJ Bullock. The White Sox was acquired on Deadline Trade last year from the Chicago Cubs, and it’s cutting the bait early in the relationship.
Kimbrel is no stranger to trading. In fact, he traded days before the 2015 opening from the Atlanta Braves to the San Diego Padres. That deal was a different kind of trade. Kimbrel was still in his prime when he first left the Braves.
Now, with the White Sox saying goodbye to him, it’s like exchanging unnecessary parts between two teams hoping to meet for the World Championship.
The White Sox abandoned young and talented players in exchange for some tough matches from Craig Kimbrel
One way to look at this trade: White Sox chose Bullock versus small players. Bullock is coming off a nice year, cutting .297/.355/.536 for the Dodgers in 422 plate appearances. However, the big problem with him throughout his career was getting into the field. In his decade, Bullock had only one season to reach 500 board appearances despite starting most seasons as a start—or at least the season expected for opening day.
In exchange for Kimbrel, the White Sox dealt with Codi Heuer and Nick Madrigal. Hoyer actually ended up making a pretty good exit from Cubs’ game in his 28.2 innings of action. It was 3-3 with a 3.14 ERA. Compared to the results Kimbrel gave them 2-2 with a 5.09 ERA in 23 rounds, it looks like they would fare better with the younger rifle than the Veteran.
Madrigal also looks like he could turn out to be something special. Although injured in the trade time and not playing a single role for Cubs, Madrigal has crossed the .300 mark in each of his four career seasons. It’s a small sample but perhaps a sign of positive times in his future.
When the White Sox acquired Kimbrel, he was supposed to turn the Bulls into the best baseball player. Kimbrel has been going through a vintage season with Cubs after some struggles in recent years. The success did not last when the Chicago team changed hands. White Sox will need to hope that they have adequate portions in their menu and also that Pollocks remain healthy and productive in their outdoor mix.
As far as Kimbrel’s original trade goes, it appears to be a missed move that may look worse over time. Worst of all: It was a deal with the Cubs.
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