Craig Kimbrel’s reunion with the Atlanta Braves lasted one game. The veteran reliever was designated for assignment on Saturday, the team announced.
Kimbrel, 37, appeared in Friday’s 5-4 loss to the San Francisco Giants after being called up from Triple-A Gwinnett. Pitching the seventh inning, he allowed no runs with one hit, one walk and a strikeout. Kimbrel threw 14 pitches in total.
However, Braves manager Brian Snitker didn’t sound terribly impressed with Kimbrel’s performance after the game, attributing the scoreless inning partially to luck.
“He kind of lucked out of it a little bit,” Snitker said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I’m glad he got through it. It was good to get him out there for the first time. So we’ll see.”
Kimbrel allowed a leadoff single to Heliot Ramos, who was then thrown out trying to steal second base. Jung Hoo Lee then drew a walk on four pitches, but was picked off first base. Kimbrel then ended the inning by striking out Wilmer Flores. However, his average velocity was 91.7 mph, far below what he threw in his prime.
The Braves signed Kimbrel to a minor league deal during spring training, but didn’t make the major league roster. In 18 minor league appearances this season (15 for Gwinnett), he had a 2.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 18 innings with 8 walks and 9 hits allowed.
Kimbrel pitched the first five seasons of his career with the Braves, collecting a 1.43 ERA and 186 saves in 294 appearances. He won the 2011 National League Rookie of the Year award and made four All-Star teams during his stint with Atlanta.
The Braves traded him to the San Diego Padres before the 2015 season and he’s pitched for six other teams since then. Last season, he had a 5.33 ERA for the Baltimore Orioles in 57 appearances despite a strikeout rate of 12.6 per nine innings and was released in late September.
Left-hander Austin Cox was called up from Gwinnett to take Kimbrel’s place on the roster. In 19 minor league appearances, he compiled a 3.86 ERA and 26 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings. He last pitched in the majors with the Kansas City Royals in 2023.
Atlanta lost in the 10th inning when Tyler Fitzgerald scored on a wild pitch by Pierce Johnson. The Braves have lost five consecutive games and holds fourth place in the National League East with a 27-35 record, 12 games behind the New York Mets.
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