Craig Kimbrel Joins Rays’ Bullpen After Mets Designation

Craig Kimbrel is making his return to the major leagues, reportedly agreeing to a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays, as confirmed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The veteran reliever, who is approaching his 38th birthday, began the season with the New York Mets but was designated for assignment just last week.

During his brief tenure in New York, Kimbrel made 14 appearances, striking out 15 batters over 15 innings. However, his performance was marred by a 6.00 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP, with opponents batting a career-high .286 against him. After clearing waivers and opting against a minor league assignment, Kimbrel found himself a free agent.

The Rays are set to face the Baltimore Orioles in a three-game series, and Kimbrel could be in uniform as early as Tuesday night. This series precedes a six-game homestand for the Rays, providing Kimbrel an immediate opportunity to contribute.

Once recognized as one of MLB’s most dominant closers, Kimbrel has not recorded a save since the 2024 season while with the Orioles. With 440 saves, he ranks fifth in MLB history, but his role with the Mets was not as a closer, as the team had signed Devin Williams to handle that responsibility.

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