WASHINGTON (AP) — Craig Kimbrel was still in position to secure his ninth save of the season for the Baltimore Orioles and 426th of his career after he threw a fastball down the middle to Eddie Rosario. The slumping Washington Nationals veteran sent it 413 feet to center field.
The Orioles led 3-2 with two outs in the ninth. But then Kimbrel threw an ankle-high fastball for ball four to the Nationals' No. 9 hitter, Trey Lipscomb, slapping the mound in disgust. A walk to Jacob Young followed.
Manager Brandon Hyde walked to the mound and took the ball from the 35-year-old closer, the second straight outing in which Kimbrel was pulled in the ninth with Baltimore still leading.
The Orioles found a way to win both games, and after they outlasted the Nationals 7-6 in 12 innings Wednesday night, Hyde said he'd continue to use Kimbrel in save situations. But Baltimore's plan to replace last year's dominant closer, Félix Bautista, with one of the best relievers in major league history hasn't gone smoothly so far.
“We’re going to stick with him. This guy’s got a big-time track record. He’s a Hall of Famer, and we need to get him right,” Hyde said. “It’s important that we get him right.”
The past two weeks have been nightmarish for Kimbrel, with one save in his five appearances.
He blew two saves in a three-game series against the Oakland Athletics, both leading to losses. He began the second outing against Oakland by throwing six straight balls, persuaded Hyde to let him stay in the game and then gave up a go-ahead two-run homer to Kyle McCann.
Kimbrel sat out a few days with what the team called back tightness. He looked good Friday night at Cincinnati, striking out the side to close out a 3-0 victory.
The next day, he entered with a 2-0 lead but retired only one of four batters before Hyde replaced him with Yennier Cano, who got out of the jam to save a 2-1 win.
Then came his meltdown against the Nationals that kicked off a wild, back-and-forth finish. Jacob Webb, Baltimore's eighth pitcher, got the save. Kimbrel didn't speak to reporters afterward.
“I think he’s gonna be fine, man,” Webb said. “He’s a Hall of Famer in my book and, you know, being around him every day and, and watching what he does, I think we have all the confidence in the world.”
In his past five outings, Kimbrel has allowed six runs and walked seven over 2 1/3 innings.
Kimbrel still has an upper-90s fastball and a sharp knuckle curve, but his stuff is no longer so dominant that he can get by when his command is off or he's not right physically.
The Orioles had that kind of dominance last year with Bautista, who paired a 100-plus mph fastball with a deceptive splitter and struck out 110 batters in 61 innings as Baltimore won 101 games and the AL East title. Bautista's unlar collateral ligament began bothering him late in the season, and he will miss this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
General manager Mike Elias turned to Kimbrel, signing him to a one-year, $13 million contract with a club option for 2025. But the righty is no longer the same pitcher he was from 2011-18 for Atlanta, San Diego and Boston, when he never had fewer than 31 saves in a season. His best year since was 2021, when he pitched for both Chicago teams and had 24 saves.
Elias expects the Orioles to return to the playoffs this year and make a deeper run. He can only hope Kimbrel will help them get there.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, left, leaves alongside trainer Brian Ebel, right, during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics, Sunday, April 28, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)
MIAMI (AP) — Harrison Bader and Tyrone Taylor each drove in two runs in a four-run first inning, star closer Edwin Díaz was not used in a save situation and the New York Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3 on Sunday for just their second win in seven games.
Brandon Nimmo homered and Francisco Lindor singled twice following a 1-for-27 skid as the Mets rebounded from blowing a four-run, ninth-inning lead on Saturday and avoided a three-game sweep. New York stopped Miami’s four-game winning streak.
“You’re not defined by what you do the day before. You’re defined by how you get up from adversity,” Lindor said. “We wanted this one for sure. I think it’s important to win after a tough loss like that.”
Sean Manaea (3-1) allowed two runs and five hits in five innings. Sean Reid-Foley and Jake Diekman pitched an inning each, and Reed Garrett got his second save by allowing one hit over two innings with four strikeouts in a 34-pitch outing.
Díaz has a 10.80 ERA over his last eight appearances after serving up four homers in 8 1/3 innings. He has blown three of his last four save chances.
“We all believe in him. We all know he’s going to be back,” Garrett said. “Whenever my name’s called, I’ll pitch, but I know as a collective unit we all believe in Edwin and we know what he can do.”
New York (21-25) had dropped five games under .500 on Saturday for the first time since an 0-5 start.
“Not an easy weekend, not the way we expected, but we just have to continue to move forward,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “Today was a huge win for us.”
With New York ahead 4-3, Nimmo hit a two-run homer off Anthony Bender in a three-run ninth that included Brett Baty’s RBI single.
“I was just looking for a good pitch in the middle of the plate to drive,” Nimmo said. “I was able to hit that ball — good launch angle — and hit it hard. Found its way out of the ballpark.”
Nimmo returned to the lineup Saturday after missing two games because of a stomach illness.
“I’m coming around,” Nimmo said. “It’s been a little bit of a journey the last three days to get over the sickness. Right now, I’m just trying to get some appetite back. I’m definitely not at 100%. Just trying to battle through it and glad that I was able to help out there at the end and solidify the win.”
Dane Myers hit a two-run homer in the second, and Christian Bethancourt had a solo drive in the seventh against DIekman.
Sixto Sánchez (0-2) allowed four runs and six hits in four innings. He gave up Taylor’s two-out double in the first and Bader’s single.
“He was obviously better second through the fourth inning but he put us in a hole early,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “At this level it’s hard to come back from four runs every single time. He’s not giving his teammates a chance to win.”
Miami recalled right-handed reliever Emmanuel Ramirez from Jacksonville and optioned right-handed reliever Anthony Maldonado to the Triple-A farm team.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Mets: DH J.D. Martinez (flu symptoms) didn’t play but was available to pinch hit. Mendoza said Martinez played through the illness the prior two days.
Marlins: INF Tim Anderson (lower back tightness) homered and had three singles in five at-bats during a rehab game with Jacksonville on Saturday, then went 0 for 4 with a walk on Sunday.
UP NEXT
Mets: RHP Tylor Megill (0-1, 2.25) will start the opener of a three-game series at Cleveland on Monday. RHP Ben Lively (2-2, 3.06) will start for the Guardians.
Marlins: LHP Ryan Weathers (2-4, 3.81) is scheduled to start the opener of a three-game home series against Milwaukee on Monday. The Brewers will go with RHP Joe Ross (2-4, 4.61).
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets' Sean Manaea delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets' Brandon Nimmo (9) and Francisco Lindor (12) congratulate each other after they scored on a double by Tyrone Taylor, during the first inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader is unable to catch a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell for a double, during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Miami Marlins third base Emmanuel Rivera, right, tags out New York Mets' Harrison Bader as he slides into third base during the fourth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) catches a ball hit by Miami Marlins' Josh Bell as both he and left fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) vie for the ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
New York Mets relief pitcher Reed Garrett, right, and catcher Omar Narvaez celebrate after the Mets beat the Miami Marlins 7-3, during a baseball game, Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
