Orioles Must Trade For New Closer After Latest Bullpen Fiasco

The Baltimore Orioles need to replace Craig Kimbrel before the trade deadline.

Jul 25, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Craig Kimbrel has a meeting at the mound in the ninth inning. / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

Thursday's game should have been an easy win for the Baltimore Orioles. Instead, it was anything but.

For most of the afternoon, the Orioles appeared to have their series finale against the Miami Marlins well in hand. They raced out to a 6-0 lead behind Corbin Burnes and took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the eighth. The Marlins rallied for a pair after Brandon Hyde kept Burnes in the game too long, but Baltimore still had a three-run cushion when Craig Kimbrel came in for the bottom of the ninth.

Sure enough, that edge didn't last long. After getting the first out of the inning, Kimbrel surrendered a single, back-to-back walks, a fielding error (not his fault), a sacrifice fly and another single. The three-run lead was gone in a matter of minutes, forcing Hyde to yank Kimbrel before he could completely blow the game.

Fortunately, the Orioles prevailed 7-6 in 10 innings, letting Kimbrel off the hook (again) and avoiding a series sweep at loanDepot Park. A win's a win, but it was much tighter than it needed to be and far too close for comfort.

The Craig Kimbrel Experience. pic.twitter.com/44m8gBd2gW

— Luke Arcaini (@ArcainiLuke) July 25, 2024

For an encore, Kimbrel blew Friday's game against the San Diego Padres at home. With the score tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth, Kimbrel served up a two-out, two-run homer to Jurickson Profar to gift-wrap the Padres the game.

Kimbrel's poor performance this week proved once and for all that Baltimore needs to find a new closer before next week's traded deadline. If the Orioles want to win the division and go far in October, they can't afford to have Kimbrel closing out high-pressure games. He's now blown six of his 29 save opportunities this year, including two of his last three.

Banking on a turnaround from Kimbrel doesn't seem wise given his age (36), mileage (15 seasons) and volatility, especially in the playoffs. In 30 career postseason games, Kimbrel is 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.43 WHIP and a horrific 6.0 BB/9.

That's not the guy anyone wants to see with a game on the line, much less a championship.

Fortunately for Baltimore, there's still time to get a new closer. Mason Miller probably isn't an option anymore given his injury status, but the Orioles could still pursue someone like Tanner Scott or Kyle Finnegan. Baltimore has plenty of prospects to spare, and cashing in some of them for a reliable closer (and the peace of mind that comes with him) would be well worth the cost.

Because at this point, the Orioles just need someone who can get three outs in the ninth inning without giving half the park a heart attack.