Kimbrel addition shakes up an already fluid back-end of the pen

LOS ANGELES — I knew there was a reason I was holding off on previewing the closer until last! Quite the bombshell dropped into our laps on April Fool’s Day this year. At first, I had to check my sources a couple of times. But, yes it’s true. AJ Pollock, who had his best season in Dodger Blue last year, has been shipped over to Chicago, where he becomes part of the Southsiders explosive lineup as they push for dominance in the AL.

In return, we get back the Dodgers’ 2018 World Series nemesis and sure-fire Hall of Famer Craig Kimbrel. Given the fact that it will be a shame not to have Pollock around, what exactly does it mean for the back end of the Dodgers’ pen? Let’s look at each of the two guys who figure to be in the thick of it this year when the “bacon is on the table” as ARod likes to say.

Craig Kimbrel (2021: 63 IP, 2.26 ERA, 24 SV)

Wow. Still kind of processing this whole thing as I write this. I thought that even with the loss of Kenley Jansen, the back end of the Dodger pen was in pretty good shape. And now this gets dumped in my lap on a Friday morning. Ugh.

Andrew Friedman better know what he’s doing with this. At first blush, I am not a fan of the move. Mostly because we have no idea what we’re getting in Kimbrel. Kimbrel has run hot and cold of late, and his stint with the White Sox was definitely on the cold side. After putting up monster numbers at Wrigley for the Cubs last year (0.49 ERA! 23 Saves!), he got shipped across town and never quite found his stride in a White Sox uniform.

Kimbrel’s ERA ballooned to 5.09 during his time with the Pale Hose, and only managed one save (Liam Hendricks was the Sox closer last year). Plus, he didn’t do his case any favors by absolutely getting lit up in his first appearance on Saturday. It was, um, not good. Kimbrel surrendered four straight hits (including two homers and a double before he got one out. So, as I write this, his Spring Training ERA is a tidy 72.00. Dude…

However, it’s tough to argue with his lifetime stats. A 2.18 career ERA. 372 saves. Over 600 appearances. A lifetime WHIP of 0.95. These are awesome numbers. At 33, he should have another productive year in him. But I have to say. His White Sox performance makes me very, very nervous. Pray that this thing works out.

Blake Treinen (2021: 72 IP, 1.99 ERA, 7 SV)

The Blake Train was running at full capacity last season. Treinen put together, one could argue, the most impressive year of any Dodger pitcher in 2021 (and with Jansen, Urias, and Buehler as teammates, that’s saying something).

After a bit of a slow start, there was a streak last summer where it was just lights out, night after night after night. His ERA in July was 0.00, and it was 1.23 in August. That is two straight months of spectacular pitching. The rest of the season wasn’t bad either, as witnessed by the numbers above.

Now with Kimbrel in tow, it looks like Treinen might be given the high-leverage at-bats earlier in the game. I would imagine his use in 2022 would be pretty much the same as it was last year. Roberts gave him the ball when the meat of the opponents’ lineup was coming up to bat, be it in the seventh inning or the eighth. Then, once the heart of the order was dispensed with, the ball was ready to be handed to the closer.

Treinen has still not found his groove this Spring, but I’m guessing he’ll have it worked out by the time May rolls around. Let’s hope he has just as good a year this year as last.

We miss Kenley…

It’s not going to be the same without seeing Kenley Jansen closing out game for the team. For better or worse (mostly better), the guy was our closer, through and through. We wish him well in Atlanta, but when that bullpen door opens in the ninth inning, the Dodgers are heading into uncharted waters this season. Let’s hope Andrew Friedman has re-stocked the shelves with enough firepower to win this thing.

DODGERSBEAT GRADE: B+