Craig Kimbrel Showcases New Cutter in Mets Bullpen Bid

In a competitive debut for the Mets bullpen, Craig Kimbrel unveiled a new weapon in his pitching arsenal on Saturday. Despite facing challenges, Kimbrel navigated through an inning in a game against the Nationals, marking the beginning of his quest for a spot on the team.

Kimbrel’s outing started with adversity as Bo Bichette led off with a double, followed by a groundout and a sacrifice fly, allowing Washington to score its second run of the game. After losing his command slightly and issuing back-to-back walks with two outs, Kimbrel regained his composure and induced a flyout, escaping without further damage.

Reflecting on his performance, Kimbrel expressed optimism. “It was good. Frustrated by the two walks, but other than that I felt pretty good — it was good to get back out there and compete and get back on the track to where I want to be,” he said.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza noted positive signs from the 37-year-old veteran. “Some 92-93, life on the fastball, shape on the breaking ball,” Mendoza observed. He compared Kimbrel’s velocity in live batting practice, where it sat around 88-89, to the sharper 92-93 mph he demonstrated against the Nationals.

Additionally, Kimbrel introduced a cutter for the first time during the outing, a pitch he has been developing in recent weeks. “It’s a pitch I’m trying to mix in,” he explained. “Just trying to get guys off my fastball and open up some off-speed opportunities. It’s coming along; how much I’m going to use it — how well I can command and control it will have a lot to do with that.”

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.