The Mets are expected to sign reliever Craig Kimbrel to a minor league deal, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The agreement includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training. Kimbrel will earn a $2.5MM base salary if he makes the team, notes Will Sammon of The Athletic. The veteran right-hander is represented by SportsMeter.
Kimbrel returned to the Braves on a minor league deal last season, but only made one appearance with the team. He latched on with the Rangers for a bit before landing in Houston. Kimbrel turned back the clock with the Astros, posting a 2.25 ERA with a 34.8% strikeout rate over 11 innings. He went back on the market at the conclusion of the season.
The 2025 campaign was Kimbrel’s first without an MLB save in his illustrious 16-year career. It ended a streak of four straight seasons with 20+ saves, an impressive run for a reliever in his mid-30s. He ranks fifth on the all-time saves leaderboard. Kimbrel’s legendary career hit a snag in 2024, when he stumbled to a 5.33 ERA across 57 appearances in Baltimore. He coughed up the closer’s role midway through the year and was released before the season ended. Kimbrel didn’t draw much attention on the market heading into this past season, as he didn’t sign with the Braves until the final week of Spring Training.
If Kimbrel gets into a game with the Mets, they’ll be his 10th MLB club. He’s pitched for seven different teams since 2021. Kimbrel has relied on a fastball/curveball combo to put together one of the most decorated reliever careers this century. The nine-time All-Star has a stellar 2.29 SIERA and a massive 38.8% strikeout rate at the big-league level.
Kimbrel’s lengthy track record includes a handful of disastrous stretches after he entered his 30s. He came to the Cubs in 2019 and scuffled to a 6.53 ERA in 20 2/3 innings. He put up a 5.09 ERA in the second half of 2021 with the White Sox, who acquired him at the trade deadline from the cross-town rival Cubs. There was the aforementioned season with Baltimore, which led to mostly minor league work in 2025. Kimbrel has often recovered from these ruts, and he did show glimpses of his old self last year.
Kimbrel made an All-Star team as recently as 2023 with the Phillies. The 37-year-old has lost a few ticks on his fastball since then, but he still got whiffs at a near-30% clip last season. Free passes were the big issue with the Orioles, as Kimbrel struggled to a 13.4% walk rate. That number remained high (14.3%) in his brief stint with the Astros.
Given the landing spot, Kimbrel will have a tough time adding to his 440 career saves. New York brought in Devin Williams to serve as closer, then added Luke Weaver to be the primary setup man. A.J. Minter should be back at some point to operate as the left-handed setup option. It’ll be a difficult depth chart for Kimbrel to climb, even if he makes the team. Kenley Jansen and his 476 saves are probably safe at fourth on the leaderboard.
Photo courtesy of Nick Turchiaro, Imagn Images
White Sox Legend!
At least he made Nick Madrigal go away.
That’s an Angels move
No. An Angels move would to make him their closer
For 5 years.
😂100%. Then sign him to a 1 year extension at the end of spring training and watch the wheels fall off the first couple weeks of the regular season.
You just know at the same time the Mets made a deal with him the Angels were on the other line, but Kimbrel didn’t know it.
This wasn’t on my bingo card.
Just retire already…
Why? If he wants to keep playing and a team is willing to give him a shot, more power to him.
I never understand when people tell players to retire…if they want to keep playing a kids game and there’s a team willing to give them an opportunity, who are we to tell them to stop living their dream?
You’re right, but he is a shell of himself. I guess I don’t really want him to retire, but I hope you get where I’m coming from
Yeah just dont get where you are coming from friend. Its not up to you or anyone to tell someone to give up on their dream.
I get it. You want remember him at his best instead of the way he is now. But I see it from his side too. He might not be at his peak anymore, but he is still better than most. And what is he going to do? I say as long as they give you the chance, you might as well take it. He can always coach next year ior the year after, but this is likely the chance he will ever have to play the game at the highest level.
I played two more years in the minors after my knees were shot and caught the same young pitcher two days a week because they wanted me tutoring him and a young catcher and be kind of a player/coach. I knew I was no longer considered a prospect but still did it.
So I won’t tell anyone when to quit.
Would love to know the name of that pitcher.
This exact discussion happens every time a player who seems like he might be out of juice signs one of these deals. I think we can all understand that “just retire already” or “he should retire” aren’t actually directives aimed at the player, but just a colorful way of someone expressing “I think this guy is washed up.”
Meow: I know what you mean in the abstract but Kimbrel is a person, not an idea. It comes off as criticism which isn’t justified because the guy wants to play and there’s an organization willing to pay him. If I were him, I wouldn’t appreciate people telling me to “just retire already”.
I doubt Craig Kimbrel is much interested in reading the MLBTR comments section 😆
If he doesn’t get an invite after ST I bet he may
When was the last time a potential future HOFer was signed to a minor league deal? I’m sure it has happened before, but I can’t recall
Joey Votto signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays in 2024.
You are right there. I forgot about that. I would put Votto and Kimbrel at about the same level when it comes to HOF chances.
Votto is basically a lock when you consider the other guys that have been voted in recently – 64 career bWAR.
Interesting. Might be a good depth move. At least he gets to pitch in spring and show his stuff. Someone can then sign him. If not, retires or spends a month in Syracuse with opt outs.
Congrats. Great if it works out.
I saw this and checked the calendar to see what year that it is…
I don’t mind this move, I’d take the risk
I don’t hate it he definitely can still strike guys out if he’s willing to do a minor league deal it’s a no brainer for a team to bring in someone with as much experience as him.
Cheep!
More like; KAKAW !
Like it. Low risk with reasonable chance of being a plus
They need a closer in Syracuse.
There is scraping the bottom of the barrel, and then there is tipping it over to see if there is anything underneath it.
Don’t any players, you know, retire anymore?
I know, I know, we shouldn’t begrudge anyone their career, their dream, I know all that, and I agree, you don’t have to lecture me about it. But it used to be that a player who was as good as Kimbrel once was would be proud enough to hang ’em up rather than accept a minor-league contract, or even want to continue when (he has to know) his skills have eroded. And there was something purer, cleaner about those days.
Now get off my lawn! 🙂
Only for nostalgic reasons as a Braves fan, ew
Curious….I thought he had signed with Atlanta for 1 game specifically to close out his career. I guess it was more in his blood than he thought.
I’ve felt like Kimbrel’s been hanging on a bit too long. But heck, if he’s willing to play in the minor leagues for a chance to get back in majors, I have to give him a lot of credit for that.
Sometimes the older guys hanging on seem to feel a minor league deal is beneath and then scoff when that’s what they are offered. If someone is willing to humble themselves for a chance to make it back though, to me, it says a lot about their character.
Guys get trashed when they hold out for larger contracts cuz people think they should “play for the love of the game.”
Then when an older player wants to keep playing for the love of the game and signs a minor league deal they get trashed for not retiring. Literally can’t win with people.
All that aside, he pitched well last year, albeit in a small sample size in the majors. He was still serviceable in 2022 and 2023 until his down 2024. This is an excellent low risk/high reward move. Any team would be wise to make a move like this and there’s pretty much zero reason to criticize it.
Definitely a hall of famer if this is it.
Can we do a poll on whether he’ll post a 2 ERA/5 FIP or a 5 ERA/2 FIP?
Jansen is only 2 saves behind Lee Smith. So, it is more likely Jansen will be safe at third all time and Smith at fourth even if Kimbrel makes the team
It’s a no risk flier for the Mets, and they’re doing him a favor to showcase what he’s got left in the tank for other clubs even if they don’t keep him. Neither party to the transaction has anything to lose. If he can get the ball over the plate and still get Ks they’ve got a valuable 7th reliever.
Bro still hasn’t retired yet?
best peak: Kimbrel
best velocity: Chapman
best career : Jansen