Free agent reliever Craig Kimbrel appears to be moving closer to a decision, and while we don’t know who’s still in the running, we’re getting some hints on who isn’t.
One team that apparently won’t be bringing in Kimbrel is the team he started his career with. According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, the Atlanta Braves won’t be signing Kimbrel to bolster their bullpen.
The #Braves are *not* among the finalists to sign Craig Kimbrel, source says. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 5, 2019
The Braves had a definite need here, but it’s not happening this way for reasons unknown. It’s possible that they simply weren’t willing to pay the asking price or give him the contract he wanted, as draft pick compensation is no longer an issue.
While the Braves are out, it sounds like one of their NL rivals is being quite aggressive in trying to land the closer.
