The Phillies and their fans should be pleased to see this player back in the division.
For the past few seasons, the NL East rivals have been trying to keep pace with the Philadelphia Phillies by making equal-strength roster moves. However, their latest addition suggests that they may be getting a bit desperate.
On Tuesday, reports surfaced—first from Ken Rosenthal that the former Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel have signed a minor-league contract. The 36-year-old reliever is now returning to the team where his impressive but turbulent MLB career first began.
Interestingly, as noted by Phillies Tailgate, Craig Kimbrel joins a growing list of former Phillies—Héctor Neris, Dylan Covey, Enyel De Los Santos, and Jake Diekman—who are now on minor-league deals with Atlanta. It seems the Braves have developed a particular interest in players with ties to Philadelphia, reinforcing the complicated love-hate dynamic between these division rivals.
With key bullpen pieces like Jesse Chavez, John Brebbia, A.J. Minter, and Luke Jackson departing in free agency, and Joe Jiménez sidelined due to knee surgery until at least August, Atlanta needed reinforcements. Their options in free agency were limited, and they’ve opted to take a chance on a familiar name.
Kimbrel is coming off a rough 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles, where he posted a 7-5 record with 23 saves in 29 opportunities but struggled with a 5.33 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, and 31 walks over 52 1/3 innings. His struggles were significant enough that he lost his closing role to another former Phillies reliever, Seranthony Domínguez, and was ultimately released before the season ended.
While Kimbrel had a strong 2023 season with Philadelphia, Phillies fans mostly remember him for his costly struggles in the postseason—particularly his missteps in the 2023 NLCS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which played a role in Philadelphia’s series loss.
The Braves are undoubtedly hoping Kimbrel can recapture some of the dominance he displayed during his first stint in Atlanta, when he recorded a 1.43 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 186 saves over five seasons. However, that was more than a decade ago, and recent performances suggest a return to that form is far from guaranteed.
For Phillies fans, though, Kimbrel’s return to the NL East is a welcome sight. They’ll likely be looking forward to facing him and the Braves in the upcoming season.