If the name sounds familiar to you, it’s likely because the Cubs were in on Brandon Kintzler this past offseason as a free agent:
#Cubs close to getting Brandon Kintzler from #Nationals, sources tell me and @sahadevsharma.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2018
Kintzler, 33, re-signed with the Nationals this past offseason on a one-year, $10 million deal with a $10 million club option for 2019 (or a $5 million player option), so it’s unlikely he’d cost a great deal in prospect currency to acquire at this stage, since it would help get the Nationals down under the luxury tax level.
As far as performance goes, Kintzler has long been an extreme contact manager type. He usually sports a mid-3s ERA despite a strikeout rate in the mid-to-high-teens because he doesn’t walk anyone, he doesn’t give up hard contact, and he gets a ton of soft contact.
As we have been expecting all along at the deadline, Kintzler is a guy who is a perfectly fine and adequate reliever to add to the bullpen, who should come cheaply, and who deepens and strengthens the bullpen overall with another veteran. I’d like this.
UPDATE: Jon Morosi says it’s going down:
#Cubs have acquired Brandon Kintzler from #Nats, source confirms @Ken_Rosenthal and @sahadevsharma report. @MLB @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 31, 2018
UPDATE 2: As you might expect, you can rule out prospects at Iowa:
Told this deal won't include anyone from Iowa. https://t.co/uiZcpbuOdu
— Tommy Birch (@TommyBirch) July 31, 2018
I’d expect the return to be younger, lower-lower, lower likelihood of making the big leagues (but still guys you probably recognize) prospects.
UPDATE 3: Yup:
Nats will get RHP Jhon Romero from @Pelicanbaseball for Kintzler. #Cubs
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) July 31, 2018
Romero is a 23-year-old relief prospect with good numbers, but he’s only currently at High-A. It’s an extremely digestible price tag. Good job of shopping by the front office.