The Mets informed veteran closer Craig Kimbrel that he won’t make the Opening Day roster, according to Mike Puma of The New York Post.
Kimbrel has been told he won’t be on the roster to start the season, Puma reported Sunday morning.
The 37-year-old right-hander joined the Mets on a minor league deal this winter, hoping to earn a spot in what’s shaping up to be a World Series contender. With 440 career saves – fifth-most in MLB history – Kimbrel brought serious credentials to camp.
But his spring didn’t go according to plan. Kimbrel posted a 4.50 ERA in six appearances, and that wasn’t enough to crack a competitive bullpen picture.
It’s a tough break for a guy who’s been one of the game’s elite closers. The nine-time All-Star and World Series champion owns a 2.58 career ERA over 16 seasons. Sure, he’s struggled some since 2022 with a 3.91 ERA, but he’s still shown flashes of being effective.
What makes this interesting is that Kimbrel was viewed as a legitimate option for the Mets’ relief corps heading into camp. With their roster construction focused on making a deep playoff run, having a proven closer with that kind of resume seemed like smart depth.
Now Kimbrel heads to the minors, barring a release from his non-roster invite contract. The former Phillies and Braves closer will have to wait for his next opportunity, whether that’s an injury opening with the Mets or catching on elsewhere.
For a Mets team with serious championship aspirations, they’re clearly prioritizing younger options or different bullpen configurations over Kimbrel’s veteran presence. That tells you something about either how they view their current relief depth or where Kimbrel’s stuff sits at this stage of his career.
