PHOENIX — The Dodgers pulled off a blockbuster trade Friday, acquiring All-Star reliever Craig Kimbrel from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for outfielder AJ Pollock.
Kimbrel, 33, has been one of baseball's best closers for most of the last decade, with 372 saves and a 2.18 ERA during his 12-year career. With the Dodgers, he can fill the void left by the departure of Kenley Jansen, likely taking over a closer role the team had previously been planning to address by committee.
To pull the deal off, however, the Dodgers had to give up one of the most experienced pieces of their lineup in Pollock, a 10-year veteran coming off two of the best seasons of his career.
However, pitching is a much bigger need for the Dodgers, who will still have one the best lineups in baseball but appear to be thinner on the mound (and in the starting rotation, in particular) than usual entering the season. Friday's trade addresses one big need, solidifying their plans at the back of the bullpen a week before opening day.
No money was exchanged in the deal, according to a person with knowledge of the situation, making it effectively a cash neutral transaction.
Pollock, 34, was due to earn $10 million this year and has a $10 million player option for 2023, or a $5 million buyout. Kimbrel is due $16 million this year, after the White Sox picked up a club option on his contract, and will be a free agent at the end of the season.
Kimbrel is an eight-time All-Star who began his career starring for the Atlanta Braves between 2010-2014. He was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2015, then dealt again to the Boston Red Sox in 2016, where he stayed for three seasons.
At every stop during that stretch, he was dominant. He recorded at least 30 saves in eight straight seasons. He posted an earned-run above 3.00 only once.
But upon signing with the Cubs midway through the 2019 season, after he had waited for a bigger contract in free agency, Kimbrel suddenly regressed. In his first season in Chicago, he had a 6.53 ERA. He wasn't much better during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, recording a 5.28 ERA.
Kimbrel had a bounce-back start to last year, earning an All-Star selection after beginning the year with 23 saves and a 0.49 ERA over his first 39 games.
But then Kimbrel was traded to the White Sox before the deadline. Pushed into a set-up role in front of White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, the right-hander struggled the rest of the season, posting a 5.09 ERA in 24 appearances with his new team.
With Hendriks still occupying the closer role with the White Sox this year, there had been speculation throughout the spring that the team might try to move Kimbrel before the start of the season.
And in the Dodgers, the White Sox found a willing trade partner, filling a need of their own in the outfield by getting Pollock.
Pollock had quietly been on the trade block this spring for the Dodgers, whose competitive balance tax payroll had ballooned to more $290 million — the highest tax threshold — following the signing of Freddie Freeman, according to Cot's Baseball Contracts (though that number includes the full salary of pitcher Trevor Bauer, who could be suspended by the league).
Despite batting .297 with 21 home runs, 69 RBIs and an .892 on-base-plus-slugging percentage last year, Pollock's contract made him one of the easiest high-earners on the team to trade.
And with Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux capable of playing left field (plus other depth bats such as Edwin Ríos, Jake Lamb and Kevin Pillar all pushing for opportunities to get at-bats), the Dodgers decided Pollock was worth parting with — getting Kimbrel to ensure they'll enter the new season with a closer, after all.
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Staff writer Jorge Castillo contributed to this report.
