The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen blew Game 4 of the NLCS on Friday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. There may be some consequences for Craig Kimbrel as a result.
Kimbrel entered to pitch the 8th inning for the Phillies, who were leading the Diamondbacks 5-3. Kimbrel allowed a double, got an out, and then he surrendered a tying 2-run home run to Alek Thomas. Kimbrel remained in the game and got a strikeout, but then he two more runners on with a single and hit by pitch. He was finally removed for Jose Alvarado, who gave up a tie-breaking RBI single to Gabe Moreno.
Kimbrel was charged with all three runs in the game and took the loss.
That came a day after Kimbrel entered a tie game in the bottom of the 9th in Game 3 of the NLCS and allowed four of the five batters he faced to reach base while blowing the game.
After blowing two games in a row, Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Friday that Kimbrel’s role might change.
Rob Thomson said Craig Kimbrel’s role might change to “lower-leverage” situations.
Sounds like he’s gonna get buried.#Phillies
— Marcus Hayes (@inkstainedretch) October 21, 2023
Thomson said that Kimbrel will get a break and not pitch on Saturday.
Phillies’ Rob Thomson says Craig Kimbrel ‘needs a little bit of a break’ from high-leverage spots https://t.co/Kin0ZtYFEt
— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) October 22, 2023
Kimbrel is getting a day off. Once he’s rest, will he again be trusted in high-leverage spots? Maybe not for now.
