Orioles Closer Reveals Who Will Call His Pitches
One of the key parts of spring training is pitchers and catchers getting on the same page, especially when one of them is new.
The Baltimore Orioles have the same catcher from a year ago in Adley Rutschman, but their closer is veteran Craig Kimbrel.
That means Rutschman and Kimbrel are spending plenty of time together. It can be harder for a closer and a catcher to develop trust for late-game situations. Most closers pitch just one inning a game and usually don’t pitch more than two games in a row in the regular season.
So, the reps are important for both of them right now in Sarasota, Fla. Kimbrel, who is 35 and playing for his eighth team, so he knows what it takes to build that relationship.
It takes trust, and Kimbrel is making it a bit easier on the younger Rutschman by making it clear that pitches will be the catcher’s call come the regular season, per MASN Sports.
"I told him I don’t want to shake him,” Kimbrel said. “I feel comfortable with all my pitches and when we get into the games I’m going to trust whatever he puts down. So the more we work together, the easier the rhythm’s going to come."
It’s a been-there, done-that attitude that should benefit both of them.
Kimbrel has 417 career saves, led the National League in saves four straight seasons, won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and is a nine-time All-Star. He’s won both the Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera Reliever of the Year awards.
He’s with the Orioles because last year’s closer, Félix Bautista, partially tore the UCL in his pitching arm and required Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old reliver is expected back in 2025. He was the Rivera winner for 2023.
Last season Kimbrel was with Philadelphia Phillies and went 8-3 with a 3.26 ERA with 23 saves in 28 chances. He also had seven holds and struck out 94 hitters in 69 innings.
Rutschman, the former No. 1 overall pick in 2019, is coming off a sophomore season in 2023 in which he slashed .277/.374/.435/.809 with 31 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 80 RBI. He walked 92 times and struck out 101 times. He made the AL All-Star team, won a Silver Slugger and finished ninth in AL MVP voting.
As a rookie in 2022 he slashed .254/.362/.445/.806 with 13 home runs and 42 RBI. In addition to finishing second in AL Rookie of the Year voting, he finished 12th in AL MVP voting.
