Craig Kimbrel was supposed to solidify the back end of the Cubs bullpen when he joined the team midway through last season. Instead, the rust from sitting out while he awaited the expiration of a draft-pick penalty tied to his qualifying offer expired was evident as he served up a career-high nine home runs over a career-low 20.2 innings. It didn’t hurt that he pitched through nagging injuries that may have been exacerbated by his rapid ramp-up.
Things didn’t start out any better this season as Kimbrel’s first two appearances featured four walks and two home runs allowed with no strikeouts.