Craig Kimbrel should consider taking Georgia off his mind.
Contract talks between the free-agent closer and the Atlanta Braves have gone quiet, with no agreement in sight, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported Wednesday via Twitter.
Braves pursued Kimbrel late in spring with short-term interest but there’s no evidence anything’s currently being discussed between the sides. Hard to believe Kimbrel, on a Hall of Fame path, is still out. He’d help anyone.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 3, 2019
Kimbrel remains unsigned with Major League Baseball’s regular season underway in one of the more curious free-agency cases in recent history. The 30-year-old’s reported contract demands, combined with the draft-pick compensation his new team would have to pay the Boston Red Sox, seems to have cooled the market for his services.
Nevertheless, the 2019 season undoubtedly will create conditions that will prompt some teams to pursue an elite closer like Kimbrel. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Sunday the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Mets and Tampa Bay Rays are among the teams keeping tabs on the seven-time All-Star.
But Heyman’s report suggests we shouldn’t expect the Braves to revive their interest in Kimbrel.
