The White Sox traded relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel to the Dodgers in exchange for outfielder AJ Pollock.
After struggling in the second half of 2021 in a setup role, Kimbrel had talked with White Sox general manager Rick Hahn and vice president Ken Williams about his place with the team. And Hahn — who never says he might trade somebody — publicly said in November that exploring a trade for the closer with 372 career saves was a possibility.
Hahn pulled the trigger Friday morning. There was no exchange of cash in the deal, the Dodgers absorbing Kimbrel’s $16 million salary for 2022 and the Sox taking Pollock’s $10 million this season. Pollock has a $10 million option for 2023 with a $5 million buyout.
Pollock, 34, batted .297/.355/.536 with 27 doubles, a career-high tying 21 home runs, 69 RBI, 53 runs scored and nine stolen bases in 117 games last season, his third with the Dodgers. He was a National League All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder with the Diamondbacks in 2015.
“We are thrilled to add a player of AJ Pollock’s caliber to this roster,” Hahn said Friday. “We view him as making us better offensively as well as defensively and providing us with some important flexibility as we go through this season as well as some depth for whatever valleys may lie ahead for us.”
Kimbrel struggled in his first spring training outing. He struck out the first batter he faced, then had issues with command and allowed two walks and two hits in his first game.
Liam Hendriks is established as the Sox’ closer, and the club brought in right-handed relievers Kendall Graveman and Joe Kelly to bolster the bullpen.
The White Sox acquired Kimbrel from the Cubs last year for second baseman Nick Madrigal and right-hander Codi Heuer. Kimbrel, 33, posted a 5.09 ERA in 23 games with the Sox, working the eighth inning in 17 of the 23 games.
Hahn on the Kimbrel trade. pic.twitter.com/v2HJG89xay
— Daryl Van Schouwen (@CST_soxvan) April 1, 2022
Now, with the Dodgers moving on from longtime closer Kenley Jansen, the ninth inning once again figures to be Kimbrel’s.
“Sad to see Craig go, but know that he’s got a great opportunity for him with a very very good Dodger team and very likely in a role he obviously has excelled in for the vast majority of his career,” Hahn said.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had resisted naming a closer, noting only that reliever Blake Treinen likely remained their best option, albeit one better suited to record the game’s most important outs regardless of inning. Now, the Dodgers have a definite ninth-inning guy.
Pollock, 34, is a career .281 hitter.
“Quality profession hitter,” Hahn said. “We all know what he’s capable of doing defensively. We’ve already had a handful of conversations with [manager] Tony [La Russa] and with the coaches about how we are going to mix him in as well as continue to get Eloy Jimenez and Luis Robert and Gavin Sheets and Andrew Vaughn their opportunities as well. It makes us better.”
- In a separate move, the Sox avoided arbitration with RHP Lucas Giolito. The sides agreed to a one-year, $7.45-million contract for 2022.
Contributing: USA TODAY Sports
This story will be updated.
