Veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel is heading to the Rays on a major league deal, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Kimbrel was designated for assignment by the Mets last week and elected free agency. The 37-year-old is represented by SportsMeter.
The Rays have yet to announce the move. The club has multiple openings on its 40-man roster, so no tweak will be needed there. Kimbrel is expected to be available for tonight’s game against the Orioles, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
The Mets added Kimbrel on a minor league deal in January. He failed to break camp with the team, but was called up in early April. The right-hander didn’t allow an earned run over his first four appearances in New York, but has since struggled. Kimbrel allowed seven earned runs over 9 2/3 innings in May. He covered 2 2/3 frames on Wednesday, ceding two earned runs. The Mets DFAed him on Friday.
The well-traveled Kimbrel will have appeared with 11 MLB teams once he gets into a game with the Rays. Tonight could be considered a revenge game for the righty, but he’s pitched for three other clubs since his 2024 stint in Baltimore. Kimbrel put himself back on the big-league map to close 2025. He opened the year with the Braves, but only threw an inning in the majors. The veteran bounced to the Rangers, then landed in Houston. Kimbrel put together 13 solid appearances with the Astros, posting a 2.45 ERA with a 34.8% strikeout rate.
Tampa Bay lost Pete Fairbanks to free agency and Edwin Uceta to a shoulder injury heading into 2026. Griffin Jax got the first crack at the vacated closer role, but faltered. He’s now being stretched out as a starter. Bryan Baker has assumed the 9th-inning gig and performed quite well. The former Oriole has piled up 14 saves through 24 appearances. He’s been scored upon just twice in May. Kimbrel and his 440 career saves are unlikely to unseat Baker anytime soon.
Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images
In 15 years this will be one of those Jerry Rice Seahawks types of stints
What about Cris Carter on the Dolpins or Randy Moss on the Titans?
This will make the Mets look dumb. (Of course, lots of things do…)
He was getting lit up. He is not good anymore. That being said, I fully expect the Mets curse to continue and he has 10 saves with a 2.30 era
As the Mets keep Metsin’!
11th team for Kimbrel.
Oh fer chrissakes- what a piece of trash. Can”t imagine a worse signing and a worse influence in the club house. What has happened to my team? I realize the majority of his salary is being paid by another team, but come on…he is not only past his prime, he is past being allowed to wear a uniform, even as a ball boy.
I don’t ever boo for any player on my own team, but…
listen carefully for my boos when he walks out and takes that stupid pose.
The Rays pitching lab will have him back in peak form within a few weeks.
Why do teams keep thinking that Kimbrel can actually do something for them?! He’s clearly done – time to hang ’em up!
I can see it now. Game 7, 9th inning, Rays up by a single run…in comes Kimbrel…(3 batters later)…base loaded, no outs…
I thought the Rays were smarter than this.
The Rays are about to somehow get the Braves version of Craig Kimbrel
The Senior Baseball League needs to be revived, it would give Kimbrel and Ozuna somewhere to play.
Kimbrel is bouncing around these days.
He looks absolutely finished, washed, done.
I fully expect the Rays to magically fix him, show him the fountain of youth and for him to be good for them. Voodoo team.
Here we go again…. One team’s trash is a Tampa Bay treasure. Watch he reclaim the closer role somehow and go on a tear for them.
interesting. I don’t think I would make this move. Rays have a lot of nice young players in that bullpen already doing well and stepping up into roles. It feels risky bringing a guy like Craig in there. Hard to doubt them tho. Seem to be making the right call about nearly everything these days.