Hyde keeping struggling Kimbrel as O's closer: 'Need to get him right'
Baltimore Orioles manager Brandon Hyde will continue using Craig Kimbrel in the ninth inning despite the right-hander's recent struggles.
"We're going to stick with him," Hyde said following the Orioles' 7-6 win over the Washington Nationals on Wednesday, according to MLB.com's Jake Rill.
"This guy's got a big-time track record, he's a Hall of Famer, and we need to get him right. He's big for us. It's important that we get him right."
Kimbrel entered in the ninth on Wednesday with a 3-1 lead and was charged with two earned runs in 2/3 of an inning as the Nationals pushed the game into extras.
Baltimore recovered to earn a win in 12 frames, but Kimbrel has now failed to complete the ninth inning four times in his last five appearances, according to The Baltimore Banner's Andy Kostka. Three of those outings resulted in blown saves.
Kimbrel is 8-for-11 in save opportunities with a 4.73 ERA and 1.50 WHIP. He's still striking out hitters at an elite rate, sitting down 21 in 13 1/3 innings.
The 35-year-old was signed to a one-year, $10-million deal in the offseason to be the Orioles' closer, with Félix Bautista expected to be sidelined until 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery last October.