Chicago Cubs Rumors: Phillies, Mets, Padres, Red Sox want Craig Kimbrel

It’s crunch time for Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs. There’s no shortage of speculation surrounding the team right now, especially when it comes to Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel. Given the latter can be controlled through 2022, though, the asking price is steep – and you can bet Hoyer’s phone is ringing off the hook.

Kimbrel’s trade value is immense and will probably be as high as it ever will be in the remainder of his career. Take a glance at the numbers. Kimbrel’s 0.49 ERA in 36 2/3 innings pitched is league-leading among closers in 2021.

With an extra year of team control due to a club option for $16 million next year, Kimbrel has become the most sought after trade chip on the market. With the recent trade of Andrew Chafin to the Oakland Athletics, the unexpected return of the A’s #9 prospect, Greg Deichmann, it begs the question of what a potential haul for a pitcher of Kimbrel’s caliber would return.

A lot to keep in mind when trying to piece this all together. Of course, Chafin is enjoying a career year with a 2.06 ERA that far outpaces the 3.47 mark over the course of his eight-year career. For perspective, Kimbrel’s career  ERA is 2.07 across the span of 12 years. That fact that he not only has had such a remarkably consistent career, coupled with him being on pace to have the best year he’s ever had, should tell you how valuable of a player he is to a team’s backend of a bullpen.

The Chicago Cubs need to think realistically in terms of Kimbrel. Yes, he has been the most dominant closer in baseball this year. Again, I might add. Yes, the Cubs desperately needed a closer when they signed him and they will need one again. Yes, trading Chafin and Kimbrel signals a white flag being raised for the season. No, the Cubs are not a World Series-caliber team even if they hold on to Kimbrel.

Therefore, they need to get as much as they can for him to set themselves up better moving forward. Kimbrel himself can net a return one of a team’s top prospects. A bold trade including Kimbrel and another good player/prospect could net you the type of return that shapes the team for the next decade.

With rumors across MLB heating up, let’s take a look at teams that are inquiring about Kimbrel and a potential return that could be had for his services.

Chicago Cubs: Teams interested in Craig Kimbrel – 4. Philadelphia Phillies

Philadelphia has recently emerged not necessarily as a front runner for Kimbrel, but a runner nonetheless. Other reports indicated the Phillies were also interested in Chafin and Ryan Tepera. With Chafin now being off the block and on his way to Oakland, it will be interesting to see if Philidelphia turns the heat up a notch or two.

Looking at potential returns for Kimbrel, the Phillies have two prospects in the top 100. Those are #59 Mick Abel, a right-hander, and #100 Bryson Stott, a shortstop. Abel is a 19-year-old playing  Low A-Ball for the Clearwater Threshers. In 14 games started he has pitched 44 2/3 innings to the tune of a 1-3 record and 4.43 ERA. Not eye-popping numbers, but his strikeouts per nine sits at an encouraging 13.3. The 2020 first-round pick has a tentative ETA to the bigs of 2024.

Looking at Stott, currently in Double-A for the Reading Fightin’ Phils. Another first-round pick, this one coming back in 2019 with an MLB ETA of 2022. His career minor league slash over two years is .280/.380/.480 and he’s currently hitting .261/.330./435

The main reason Philly lands at #5 on this list is because according to Phillies Nation, it has been said the Phillies are looking to hold onto Abel. That doesn’t bode well for a trade for an All-Star closer with another year of team control. Thus, a prospect package surrounding Stott would likely have to be the case and I’m not sure it would be enough to outbid other teams hot on the trail.

Chicago Cubs: Teams interested in Craig Kimbrel – 3. New York Mets

So, It’s no longer a secret the New York Mets are inquiring about the services of Kimbrel. The Mets now sit eight games above .500 at 53-45, 3 1/2 games up in the NL East. As stated above, they will be looking to strengthen the bullpen to help button things up on the back end of games. The Mets currently have a save percentage of 64 percent, converting just 29 of 45 attempts. With 16 blown saves, that 64% conversion percentage ranks just slightly above the league average of 61 percent.

Needless to say, adding an arm of Kimbrel’s stature would undoubtedly work wonders on that number. It’s hard to look at a potential return for Kimbrel from the Mets. New York has also been on the frontline in battle for Kris Bryant’s services as well.

Mets #2 prospect, Ronny Mauricio, has been discussed in regards to Bryant. At #50 overall, Mauricio currently has an MLB ETA of 2022. If that were the case, what could Hoyer hypothetically pull off if Kimbrel was going with him? Brett Baty, the Mets #4 prospect and #73 overall, is a third baseman also with an MLB ETA of 2022 and would make sense given the fact Bryant would need a replacement unless you permanently went with Patrick Wisdom moving forward.

Given the fact that the Mets have four prospects in the top 100, they could be an extremely suitable partner and it will be interesting to see what can come of all this.

Chicago Cubs: Teams interested in Craig Kimbrel – 2. Boston Red Sox

A return to Fenway Park could be in the works for Kimbrel as well, according to a report out of Boston. Right now, the Red Sox are in good shape with their bullpen already and could be looking to trot out a 1-2 punch tandem of Matt Barnes and Kimbrel, who spent three years in Boston from 2016-2018 and earning All-Star nods in all three campaigns.

Breaking down the numbers further, The Red Sox have converted 33 of 48 attempts in eligible save opportunities, good for 69 percent or eight percent above league average. It’s no surprise that top contending teams for their division such as the Red Sox are in on multiple players on the Cubs roster.

Keep in mind Boston knows that is about to get a huge boost to the starting rotation with Chris Sale likely coming back possibly as soon as next week if his planned last rehab start goes well.

Boston’s top three prospects are all in the MLB top 100. They are #30 Triston Casas, a first baseman a the Double-A level, #35 Jeter Downs, an infielder at the Triple-A level and Jarred Duran, #86, who is currently in the Majors for Boston, though only slashing .154/.214/.522 in 26 ABs. It remains to be seen what a potential haul from Boston could look like to get Kimbrel in return.