Craig Kimbrel’s comeback with the Atlanta Braves lasted exactly one game.
The Braves designated the veteran closer for assignment on Saturday, just one day after he returned to the organization where he became a legend. Atlanta needed the roster spot to recall lefty Austin Cox from Triple-A.
It’s a tough end to what was briefly a feel-good story. Kimbrel threw a scoreless inning Friday against the Giants, allowing a hit and a walk but working out of trouble with help from a caught stealing and his own pickoff move.
That single inning represents what might be Kimbrel’s final MLB appearance, at least in a Braves uniform.
The 37-year-old reliever built his reputation during five dominant seasons in Atlanta from 2010-2014. He posted a 1.43 ERA over that stretch, striking out 476 batters in 289 innings – the kind of numbers that made him the most feared closer in baseball.
Since leaving Atlanta after the 2014 season, Kimbrel’s been something of a journeyman. He’s pitched for seven different organizations: the Padres, Red Sox, Cubs, White Sox, Dodgers, Phillies and most recently the Orioles.
That Baltimore stint didn’t go well. Kimbrel struggled to a 5.33 ERA in 2024 before getting released in September, which is how he became available for Atlanta’s brief reunion.
The Braves clearly weren’t looking at this as anything more than organizational depth. One appearance was apparently enough to show them what they needed to see.
Whether Kimbrel gets another shot somewhere else remains to be seen. At 37 and coming off a rough year, teams might not be lining up. But he did manage to throw that one final scoreless inning in a Braves uniform, which has to count for something.