Dodgers: Craig Kimbrel's Postseason Role Still Remains Uncertain

Dodgers pitcher Craig Kimbrel's performances have made him untrustworthy when it matters most

The amount of attention Dodgers pitcher Craig Kimbrel has gotten all season long has made Kimbrel a name all too familiar for Dodgers fans. Of course, hearing Kimbel's name has brought much more pain than misery.

Kimbrel is tied 14th in the league with 22 saves on the season but also finishes the regular season with a 3.75 ERA with five blown saves and a 6-7 record. Even when Kimbrel gets his saves they did not look pretty. 

Luckily for Kimbrel, there still is a chance Kimbrel makes the postseason roster despite the lackluster performances. Kimbrel also was able to end his season strong allowing just one hit and one earned run in the last 5.2 innings played while also racking up seven strikeouts. 

Dodgers haven’t made a decision on whether Craig Kimbrel will be on the postseason roster, Andrew Friedman said.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 7, 2022

His play at the end of the season might've been good enough to lock him into a postseason role, but it remains to be seen how he will be utilized. Kimbrel was demoted about two weeks ago from being the Dodgers closer which gives fans an idea of how much the Dodgers really trust him.

Normally being patient with your players is the way to handle a player in a slump, but with Kimbrel taking a less prominent role in the lineup it has really changed his game. Patience is no longer an answer during this time of the season as each win now becomes that much more valuable.

Anything can happen in a short series and the with all the accolades and records piled up from a great Dodgers season, anything less than a World Series will be a huge disappointment.