Yeah. The team doesn't even have 5 relievers better than replacement, and he's almost a 3-win player according to RA-9 WAR, which would understate his actual value.
So what does everyone's projected 20-man look like?
C - Vogt
1B - Abreu
2B - Kendrick
3B - Dietrich
SS - Gyorko
CF - Eaton
OF - Trumbo
OF - Mahtook
Util - V-Mart
OF - Jaso
SP - Keuchel
SP - Lester
SP - Richards
SP - Chen
SP - Odorizzi
SP - Kennedy
SP - Nelson
RP - Betances
RP - Davis
RP - Romo
Looks like a top-5 pitching staff and bottom-5 offense. Unless I get 1-2 breakout offensive performances or can find a guy or two on the waiver wire I'm going to miss the playoffs.
Yup. Assuming Boston could have landed K-Rod for Asuaje, would you rather have:
1. Kimbrel
2. K-Rod, Margot, Guerra, Allen, ~$15M cash over the next two years
They'll probably keep him for both years and make it 2/13.5. He's been sneaky good. 5 of the last 6 years he's had an ERA under 3.05 and xFIP under 3.17. I think he's worth more than nothing, which is basically what they got.
I think you'll easily end up with a second for Uehara. A rebuilding team could immediately turn a big profit after the cut down.
People might undervalue elite relievers a bit though. I'd rather have one of them than the Tillmans Chatwoods and Volquez's of the world.
http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/did-the-red-sox-just-reset-the-market-for-relievers/
Fangraphs author compares price paid for Kimbrel last year to price paid for Kimbrel this year. Accounts for Kimbrel's salary in the Braves trade, but not in the Red Sox trade.
Cliffs: the good folks at breaking blue > fangraphs