3 scary free agents the Reds should avoid this offseason

2. Reds should avoid free agent reliever Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel picked the absolute worst time to board the struggle bus. Kimbrel is arguably the biggest reason why the Philadephia Phillies are no longer in the MLB Postseason. Kimbrel gave away Game 3 of the NLCS and faltered again in Game 4.

Kimbrel was, at one time, the most feared closer in the game. When the right-hander, with that odd pre-pitch posture, stepped onto the mound, more times than not, it was curtains for the opposing batter. That's no longer the case.

Kimbrel inked a one-year/$10-million deal with the Phillies this past offseason and went 8-6 with a 3.26 ERA and 94 punch outs in 69 innings of work. Kimbrel has a career ground ball-rate of 38.4-percent according to FanGraphs, and Reds fans know all too well how poorly that plays at Great American Ball Park.

Craig Kimbrel isn't a horrific option for other ball clubs, and someone will inevitably secure his servives based on the 35-year-old's regular season numbers. But Kimbrel lost his job in high leverage situations during the MLB Playoffs and doesn't seem like the right fit in Cincinnati.