Though Theo Epstein remained coy Wednesday when asked about reports that the Cubs were “pushing hard” for Craig Kimbrel, he did admit that their situation had changed since the beginning of the season. Specifically, he noted “unexpected variables” that have added to the flexibility the team has traditionally maintained for mid-season acquisitions.
One of those variables is the simple fact that Kimbrel is available at all, let alone past the expiration of draft-pick penalties. Because he’d been given a qualifying offer by the Red Sox at the conclusion of last season, signing Kimbrel would have meant forfeiting a selection in the 2019 draft.