Brandon Kintzler

Kintzler turned in a career-best 2.68 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with a 48:13 K:BB over 57 innings with the Cubs last season. He also racked up 17 holds. Kintzler appeared to find the command of his sinker, finishing with a 54.7 GB% to go along with a .261 BABIP, much improved from .328 in 2018. He threw that pitch a bit less often -- from 80% of the time to 70% usage -- and incorporated his slider and changeup more. The tweaked pitch mix did wonders for his splits against left-handed batters (.217 wOBA, down from .363 in 2018). The 35-year-old reliever has now been mostly healthy for three seasons. He signed with the Marlins in January, and Miami presents him with a relatively clear path to save opportunities. Kintzler maybe lacks the velocity to slot in as the everyday closer.

Kintzler was a predictable pitcher to lose his closer role in 2018 because his saves in 2017 were more opportunity-based than they were skills-based. In a day and age of closers blowing pitches by batters, Kintzler simply lacks the swing and miss necessary to be consistently successful in high-leverage situations (career 16.5 K%, 7.6% swinging-strike rate). His value these days comes from an ability to generate groundballs in the setup innings, but even that skill has been in a three-season decline to the point that he is only a slightly above-average groundball pitcher rather than an extreme one. After he exercised his $5 million player option to remain with the Cubs in 2019, there is no reason to roster Kintzler on draft day. His secondary skills do not offer enough to keep him around without an official closer label hanging off his jersey.

Strikeouts are not part of the package with Kintzler (6.1 career K/9, 4.9 in 2017), but he was effective in the closer role for Minnesota, converting 28 of 32 save chances last season before being traded to the Nationals. His success was due in large part to the groundball -- Kintzler gave something back in that regard last season, but still had a well above-average 54.9 percent groundball rate -- and sharp control. Kintzler has issued a total of 24 walks over the past two seasons (125.2 innings). Even so, the indicators weren't all that favorable (3.77 FIP, 4.36 xFIP, 4.25 SIERA) as Kintzler had a pretty dramatic reverse platoon split (.293/.336/.399), but groundball specialists are especially valuable in today's home-run environment. He'll remain in a setup role after re-signing with Washington, working ahead of Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle.

Kintzler was an unheralded minor league signing last season as the Twins signed him for depth and he began the season at Triple-A. After Glen Perkins was lost for the year due to injury and Kevin Jepsen proved ineffective, Kintzler surprisingly got a shot at the closer role in June and kept the job the rest of the season. While Kintzler had just a 5.8 K/9, he kept batters off base with good control (1.33 BB/9) and generated groundballs (61.9 percent of batted balls), leading to conversions on 17 of 20 save chances. Despite his success, he's just as unlikely a candidate to keep the job given his lack of dominant velocity (92.7 mph average fastball) and mediocre strikeout rates (career 6.5 K/9). However, his success as a closer last season should give him the first chance at the role in 2016.

Kintzler had a quality season pitching in middle relief, but he was not as effective as he was the year before, as he had some trouble with the long ball and saw his strikeout rate fall. He has been a regular out of the Brewers’ bullpen the last couple seasons and will likely be one again in 2015, but he had a 4.74 FIP last season, so he will need to sharpen things up to hold down his spot.

Kintzler was a steady middle reliever for the Brewers in 2013, posting a 2.69 ERA and a miniscule 1.07 WHIP. He is not a big strikeout pitcher, but he does a good job keeping runners off the bases, and also keeping the ball in the park. Kintzler fared well pitching in late innings in the 2013 season, and as one of the more experienced relievers in the bullpen, he has a good chance to remain in that role in 2014.

Kintzler has been plagued by arm injuries the last couple seasons, but he was back at full strength by the end of last season and held his own in a September stint with the big club. Kintzler isn't a big strikeout pitcher despite throwing a mid-90s fastball, but he has given himself a chance to earn a spot in the Brewers' bullpen by pitching well in the minors the last couple seasons. Look for him to work in middle relief if he pitches well this spring.

Kintzler's season was cut short due to a stress fracture in his right arm after just 14.2 innings. He'll get a chance to earn a bullpen spot during spring training, but needs to eliminate his extreme vulnerability to the long ball (five allowed in 22 career big league innings) in order to secure his role as a middle reliever in Milwaukee.

Kintzler moved all the way from Double-A Huntsville to the majors in 2010, using a combination of control and groundballs. He'll get a chance to earn a bullpen role during spring training, but there's not a future closer skill set in play here.