Chicago Cubs: Craig Kimbrel torpedoed 2019 campaign

Craig Kimbrel was supposed to lead the Chicago Cubs to the postseason. Instead, he torpedoes their chances this year.

The Chicago Cubs had thought they were a top notch closer away from truly contending for the World Series. Brandon Morrow, who was expected to be the Cubs closer, had missed the entire 2019 campaign due to elbow surgery and a subsequent setback in his rehab. The duo of Pedro Strop and Steve Cishek were solid in the ninth inning, but were not considered reliable options. As such, when the Cubs signed Craig Kimbrel, he was expected to be the missing piece.

Instead, Kimbrel has been a disaster. Instead of being the light’s out closer he had been in the past, his performance may be why the Cubs miss the postseason. His latest blown save could be the final nail in the coffin, with Chicago matching several dubious marks.

Kimbrel was supposed to keep this from happening. He was a seven time All Star, still in the prime of his career. Kimbrel was considered to be the top closer in the game, a reliever considered to be a future Hall of Famer.

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This season has easily been the worst of his career. In just 20 innings, he has allowed a career high nine home runs. Kimbrel has a 8.01 FIP, just a year after posting a 3.13 FIP, which had been the worst of his career to that point. While he has blown only three saves, he has hardly been trustworthy in the ninth.

Saturday’s performance may well have been the nadir. Entrusted with a one run lead, Kimbrel threw two pitches. The first, a 97 MPH fastball to Yadier Molina, was deposited over the fence in left to tie the game. His second offering, a 96 MPH fastball to Paul DeJong, was belted to dead center for the go ahead homer, the eventual winning blow in the Cardinals comeback victory.

That outing came just two days after another brutal performance against the Cardinals. Kimbrel, who had just been activated from the Injured List on Thursday, allowed a 10th inning home run to Matt Carpenter to drop his record to 0-3 on the year. That blow began what has been a disastrous series, one that has seen Chicago lose the first three games, all by one run.

Now, the Cubs playoff hopes are on life support. They are three games back for the second Wild Card berth, with just seven games left in the season. It may well take a miracle, the likes of which the Cubs have never had.

Craig Kimbrel was supposed to guide the Chicago Cubs to the playoffs. Instead, he may have destroyed their chances.