Veteran relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel is still finding opportunities to pitch in the majors over the last several years since departing Boston following the 2018 season.
The right-handed pitcher had a fantastic three-year run with the Red Sox, posting a 2.44 ERA, 108 saves, and was named to the All-Star Game each year in Boston. Kimbrel also helped the Red Sox win a World Series in 2018.
Since leaving Boston, the veteran reliever has played for five different teams. Now, Kimbrel will be playing for his sixth team, which he’s very familiar with.
Craig Kimbrel Receives Big League Call-Up From Atlanta Braves
According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Braves are calling up Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett after a disastrous loss on Thursday. Kimbrel began his career with the Braves, where he spent the first five years.
The Braves’ bullpen imploded in the ninth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks, giving up seven runs between relievers Scott Blewett and Raisel Iglesias.
After that horrific performance, Atlanta is banking on the 37-year-old Kimbrel to help stabilize the backend of their bullpen, which is a dicey gamble. The former Red Sox reliever joined the Braves in March on a one-year, $2 million minor league deal.
Kimbrel began his journey back to the majors at Double-A Columbus, where he made three appearances. The ex-Red Sox had six strikeouts and a walk in 3.1 innings pitched.
Atlanta moved Kimbrel up to Triple-A Gwinnett, where he made 15 appearances, posting a 2.45 ERA and 1-1 record. The veteran reliever allowed eight hits, eight walks, and six runs (four earned runs), while striking out 17 batters across 14.2 innings. He also had three saves.
Given his age, it will be interesting to see if the former Red Sox reliever can turn back the clock for an Atlanta squad that is underperforming. The last time we saw Kimbrel in the majors, he had a 5.33 ERA and 23 saves in 57 appearances with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.