Former Cubs Reliever Brandon Kintzler Reportedly Signs With Marlins
By Mark Powell
Another piece of the Cubs bullpen is heading elsewhere, and we have to wonder at what point the offseason will start for Theo Epstein and Co.
Brandon Kintzler pitched to a 2.68 ERA in 62 appearances last season. On Saturday night, Chicago let him walk to the Miami Marlins.
Brandon Kintzler has agreed to a one-year, $3.25 million deal with #Marlins, source confirms @ESPNChiCubs report. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 26, 2020
The value on this one-year prove-it deal is low enough that Cubs faithful ought to use it as just one example to throw in the face of their front office should they fall out of NL Central contention in 2020.
In Miami, Kintzler is likely to step back into the closer's role for the first time since 2017, where he had 28 saves and sub-3 ERA for the Minnesota Twins. Since then, he's been used in various setup roles for Washington and Chicago.
Thank you, Brandon Kintzler. #Cubs https://t.co/9tKNvU1tEn pic.twitter.com/38zvv8eLa1
— Cubs Zone ™️ (@CubsZone) January 26, 2020
Kintzler's bounce-back 2019 campaign in Chicago was for naught, as the Cubs will move forward with an unproven 'pen to pair with a roster that, while competitive, has several question marks for the first time in recent memory.