His new team must not have liked what they saw on Friday
Aformer Boston Red Sox star may quickly restart his search for a new team.
After signing him to a minor league contract in March, the Atlanta Braves promoted Craig Kimbrel on Thursday. The nine-time All-Star closer made his 2025 debut on Friday night, pitching in a Braves uniform for the first time in 11 years.
Atlanta apparently wasn’t impressed. On Saturday, the Braves designated Kimbrel for assignment. In a corresponding move, Atlanta recalled left-handed relief pitcher Austin Cox.
The abrupt transaction is even more jarring considering Kimbrel made a relatively triumphant return Friday night. Replacing starter Spencer Schwellenbach in the seventh inning of a 4-4 game, Kimbrel pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout.
However, Kimbrel didn’t take the conventional path to a goose egg. San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos was caught stealing after hitting a leadoff single. Kimbrel then walked Jung Hoo Lee before picking him off at first base.
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While Kimbrel struck out Wilmer Flores to end the inning, the 37-year-old threw just six strikes in 14 pitches. He garnered one swinging strike and two called strikes while throwing his fastball at a concerningly low average velocity of 91.6 mph.
For comparison, Kimbrel’s heater averaged 97.1 mph when he last pitched for the Red Sox in 2018.
