A familiar name from one of the most dominant bullpen eras in recent MLB history has found another opportunity to continue his career.
Former Atlanta Braves All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel has secured a landing spot for the 2026 season.
It may not come with guarantees.
But it does come with a chance.
According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, Kimbrel has signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets.
The deal includes an invitation to Spring Training, allowing Kimbrel to compete for a bullpen role.
At the very least, it ensures he remains part of a major league organization heading into 2026.
For some around the league, this signing raises a familiar question.
Have we already seen the last meaningful chapter of Craig Kimbrel’s major league career.
That question has been asked repeatedly over the last several seasons.
And yet, Kimbrel keeps finding a way to stay employed.
As recently as last year, the Atlanta Braves themselves explored whether a reunion could work.
It was a reunion rooted in history rather than certainty.
The Braves know Kimbrel better than any organization in baseball.
Kimbrel re-signed with Atlanta toward the end of Spring Training.
The plan was cautious and deliberate.
He would rebuild his arm strength away from the spotlight.
He began the season in Double-A and later moved up to Triple-A.
The results, at least initially, were encouraging.
After tossing three scoreless innings with Columbus, Kimbrel was promoted to Gwinnett.
In 15 appearances with Gwinnett, he posted a 2.45 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP.
Those numbers suggested he still had something left in the tank.
The velocity was not what it once was.
But the competitiveness remained.
Despite that progress, everything ultimately led to just one major league appearance.
And it did not come in Atlanta.
Kimbrel’s lone outing with the Braves came in San Francisco.
He pitched one scoreless inning.
He allowed a hit.
He issued a walk.
He struck out one batter.
It was not a clean inning.
It required improvisation.
It required experience.
It required survival.
The very next day, the Braves designated him for assignment.
It was a swift and somewhat sobering decision.
Soon after, Kimbrel found himself on the move again.
He elected free agency.
The Texas Rangers signed him to a minor league deal.
That stint lasted two months.
Then came another release.
The journey did not end there.
The Houston Astros offered Kimbrel another chance.
This time, the opportunity extended to the major leagues.
In 13 appearances with Houston, Kimbrel posted a 2.45 ERA.
On the surface, the results looked promising.
Dig deeper, however, and familiar concerns emerged.
His WHIP sat at 1.34.
Baserunners continued to be an issue.
Traffic on the bases has been a recurring theme in the latter stages of his career.
Still, the Mets saw enough to warrant a look.
They are now taking on the task of determining whether Kimbrel can help round out their bullpen.
In doing so, New York adds another layer of uncertainty to a relief corps that has already undergone significant change.
Kimbrel joins a bullpen that already includes former Braves reliever A.J. Minter.
Minter signed with the Mets in free agency ahead of the 2025 season.
The Mets’ bullpen has been reshaped dramatically over the last year.
Edwin Díaz is gone.
Devin Williams is in.
Luke Weaver arrived.
Tyler Rogers departed.
Kimbrel enters this mix without a guaranteed role.
There is no promise of a major league roster spot.
There is no assurance he will pitch meaningful innings.
At best, he could earn a bullpen role.
At worst, he could begin the season in Syracuse.
Either way, the opportunity exists.
That opportunity is remarkable when viewed through the lens of Kimbrel’s career arc.
During his first stint with the Braves, he was arguably the most dominant closer in baseball.
Over five seasons in Atlanta, Kimbrel posted a staggering 1.43 ERA.
He recorded 186 saves.
He led the National League in saves four consecutive years.
In 2011, he was named National League Rookie of the Year.
His fastball-slider combination overwhelmed hitters.
His presence shortened games.
His entrance alone shifted momentum.
For several years beyond Atlanta, Kimbrel remained among the league’s elite closers.
But beginning around 2019, inconsistency began to define his results.
Velocity dipped.
Command wavered.
Margins narrowed.
Since then, his career has evolved into a series of short-term opportunities.
Minor league deals.
Spring Training invites.
Low-risk bets by teams seeking bullpen depth.
Each stop carries the same underlying question.
Is there enough left for Craig Kimbrel to matter.
The Mets are not asking him to be what he once was.
They are not asking for 40 saves.
They are not asking for dominance.
They are asking for usefulness.
For stability.
For experience in a bullpen that will be tested over a long season.
There are zero guarantees that Kimbrel sees major league action in 2026.
But there is a pathway.
And for a pitcher who has repeatedly been counted out, that pathway matters.
When Kimbrel eventually does step away from the game, his legacy is secure.
Few relievers in modern baseball history have matched his peak.
Few have altered games as dramatically in their prime.
What remains now is not about legacy.
It is about persistence.
About competing for one more chance.
Whether that chance comes in New York, Syracuse, or not at all remains to be seen.
But once again, Craig Kimbrel has found a place to keep his career alive.
And until the door fully closes, he continues to push it open.
