Craig Kimbrel was a heart attack walking for Red Sox fans throughout much of the season and into the playoffs, but he got the job done more often than not.
However, when it mattered most, the Red Sox turned to Chris Sale to close out Game 5 of the World Series, a move that was perhaps indicative of how the team viewed Kimbrel.
Kimbrel is a free-agent-to-be, and the Red Sox extended a qualifying offer of nearly $18 million shortly after their World Series victory. But the team doesn't seem optimistic that Kimbrel will accept it, according to Dave Dombrowski.
This may end up being the first domino to fall in an offseason that will be very busy for the Red Sox, who have several key contributors hitting free agency and a few others nearing arbitration.
It's still possible that Kimbrel accepts the offer, but he has several other suitors for his talents that will likely pay Kimbrel far more than what the Red Sox are willing.
The Boston bullpen was shaky heading into the postseason, but ultimately delievered when it mattered most and played a big part in their championship run.
Boston Red Sox
Find the latest Boston Red Sox news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
So far, it seems that the makeup of that bullpen will change significantly over the course of the next several months.
Click here to download the new MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Celtics easily on your device.
