Craig Kimbrel has been a complete heart attack this postseason.
While the Boston Red Sox closer has yet to blow a save, he has given up at least one run in each of his four postseason outings.
Kimbrel was direct when asked what he was “missing” in Boston’s win over the Houston Astros in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, chalking up his issues to lack of command with both the fastball and the breaking ball.
But manager Alex Cora doesn’t seem so sure that’s the root of his closer’s struggles. Cora spoke with the media prior to Thursday night’s Game 5 at Minute Maid Park and went a little tinfoil hat on everyone, suggesting Kimbrel might be tipping his breaking ball and the Astros and New York Yankees know the tell.
“There’s something with his slider I think,” Cora said, via MLB.com’s Ian Browne. “There has to be something going on because there’s a lot of takes. Quality ones, too. They keep taking it, and that started in New York. Either they have a good game plan or it’s paranoia from my end.”
The playoffs have been chock-full of pitch-tipping assumptions, reported cheating scandals and, of course, a ton of drama on the AL side.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if Kimbrel was tipping his pitches. The All-Star closer was lights out for most of the season, but has been unable to record a clean inning during the playoffs. All four of Kimbrel’s postseason appearances have been an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride, with the opposing team bringing the tying or go-ahead run to the plate in each outing.
Pitch tipping also could just be a convenient excuse. Kimbrel has been all over the place with his entire arsenal during October and he only gets more erratic as the tension rises, so perhaps the issue is purely mental.
If he is tipping his pitches, however, that’s something the Red Sox must rectify immediately. But if he doesn’t have a tell, then Boston has a whole different issue to worry about because there’s nothing worse than having a shaky closer in October.
