Craig Kimbrel has been one of the most reliable closers in baseball for the better part of the last decade, and he is looking to be compensated for his performance with a massive long-term contract this winter.
ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that Kimbrel has been telling interested teams he wants a six-year deal.
Teams being told that in initial ask, All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel is looking for a six-year deal.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) November 30, 2018
Even for an elite closer, that seems a bit excessive. Kimbrel will turn 31 early next season, and his 100 mph fastball has been the main reason he is so effective and has a 1.91 ERA. While he’s rarely hurt and has a low of 57 appearances in a season since 2011, it seems highly unlikely that a team is going to be willing to go six years with him.
That said, Wade Davis signed a three-year, $52 million contract with the Colorado Rockies last offseason. He was 32 at the time, so Kimbrel could certainly make the argument that he deserves a four-year deal at around the same average annual value.
We know the Boston Red Sox want Kimbrel back and at least one other team has kicked the tires on him, but he’ll probably have to lower his asking price before talks get serious.
