Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino underwent a likely season-ending surgery to repair his labrum and remove scar tissue on Tuesday.
#Braves’ Arodys Vizcaino had shoulder surgery today to repair labrum and remove scar tissue, expected to miss the rest of the season.
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) April 17, 2019
Is this the moment that forces Atlanta to go out and sign free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel?
Kimbrel is reportedly looking for a deal in the $39-$52-million range to sign with a team.
The Braves don't have a great bullpen, they really don't have a closer and yet they remain a contender to win the National League East.
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Signing Kimbrel would go a long way in helping the team repeat as division champions.
All that being said, it has been reported by MLB.com that Kimbrel is closing in on a contract with a new team.
Who that team is remains to be seen, but the Braves were mentioned as having interest along with the Brewers.
Atlanta is reportedly being cautious with how it spends its money considering the limitations the team has in the international signing market, but with the loss of Vizcaino, this may be the nudge the team needs to make the move.
However, the same thing was said when Milwaukee lost reliever Corey Knebel to season-ending surgery at the beginning of the year and nothing happened there, so it's quite possible Kimbrel could still remain unsigned despite the health concerns for Atlanta.
But at the time, too, Kimbrel was rumored to be asking for a deal in the $100 million range and his price tag appears to have dropped in the few weeks since then.
Taking that into account, things appear to have changed on that front, so a signing could be very near for the man who sits 14th all-time with 333 career saves.