Craig Kimbrel has his latest MLB home, courtesy of a rough month for the Houston Astros.
The Astros are signing the veteran closer straight to their big-league team, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. The right-hander is reportedly on his way to Baltimore, where he’ll join the team as it plays a four-game series against the Orioles this week.
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At 37 years old, Kimbrel is far removed from his days as one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. He remains fifth on the MLB all-time saves list but holds a 4.00 ERA over the past four seasons, a span of time in which his laborious and inconsistent performances have soured multiple fan bases on him.
After a particularly bad season with the Orioles last year, Kimbrel managed to land only a minor-league deal in a reunion with the Atlanta Braves for 2025. He failed to make the MLB team out of spring training, didn’t get called up until the start of June and was designated for assignment after a single scoreless appearance.
He later landed with the Texas Rangers but was released Thursday after 24 appearances with Triple-A Round Rock. He posted a 3.86 ERA while in the Rangers organization.
Kimbrel could still be an upgrade for the Astros, given how they’ve performed lately. The team ranks 27th in bullpen ERA over the past 30 days and will be without closer Josh Hader until about the end of the regular season.
After leading the AL West by as many as seven games, Houston was 14-23 since July 7 entering Thursday and is currently attempting to keep the Seattle Mariners at bay.
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