Would warning Kimmel have saved the battle fleet?

If Kimmel had known the Japanese fleet was coming, would taking the fleet to sea have produced a better result?

Not necessarily; Nimitz believed Kimmel would have sortied, but the battleships could not catch the carriers and deep-water sinkings might have made the losses permanent.

Kimmel probably would have taken the battle fleet to sea if he knew the Japanese carriers were approaching. The slow battleships could not catch the carrier force and would have faced air attack without the protection of their own carriers. Ships sunk in deep water would have been far harder to salvage, with greater danger to their crews. Improved warning would have created new options without guaranteeing a better material outcome.