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These 5 teams need to get Craig Kimbrel on the phone right now

By Joshua Sadlock

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox prepares to deliver the pitch during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 26: Craig Kimbrel #46 of the Boston Red Sox prepares to deliver the pitch during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game Three of the 2018 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 26, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MARCH 30: Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to a pitch during the ninth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park on March 30, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – MARCH 30: Josh Hader #71 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to a pitch during the ninth inning of a game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park on March 30, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

4. Milwaukee Brewers

With their dynamic, young lineup, the Milwaukee Brewers have the potential to wrest control of the NL Central away from the Chicago Cubs for the foreseeable future. Proving that last year’s division crown and trip to the NLCS was no fluke, the Brew Crew is off to a red-hot start in 2019. The Brewers are going to spray the ball all over the yard while their rotation tries to do just enough to win.

The Brewers still have money to spend, and should be viewed as one of the prime contenders to land Craig Kimbrel or Dallas Keuchel. The rotation is still very patchwork without Jimmy Nelson or Chase Anderson at full strength. Adding Keuchel doesn’t do much to make up for the potential stumbling blocks in the other four spots in the rotation.

The strength of Milwaukee’s pitching staff is its bullpen, led by Josh Hader, who is again doing nothing but striking people out. Losing Corey Knebel for the year, however, hurts — big time. Hader is already being asked to do a ton, but using him strictly as a closer might not allow the Brewers to get the most value out of his filthy left arm. He was good for 81.1 frames last year in only 55 games.

Milwaukee has to get just enough out of their starting rotation to win, and shortening the game is their best bet to allow a middling starting staff to keep its head above water. Pairing Kimbrel with Hader effectively gives the Brewers three shutout innings on a given night if need be. It’s better for this team to add to a strength in its bullpen than try and fill a weakness in the rotation.

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