On Saturday, January 24, it was known through a publication by Jon Heyman (NY Post) on the social network from X.comwhich New York Mets agreed with the veteran right-handed reliever, Craig Kimbrel
Craig Kimbrelranked among the best closers of all time in Major League Baseball (MLB), reached an agreement Minor Leagues with the New York organization that belongs to the National League. The contract includes an invitation to Spring Training of the Major Leagues. At the time of writing these lines, no further details related to this news were known.
Kimbrel, is represented by SportsMeter and in his 16-year major league career, has pocketed a sum of $128,326,801 (according to Spotrac). Injuries were the Achilles’ heel last season for the nine-time All-Star closer. Although, after its first 10 seasons in MLBhas not been so consistent in its results. Nevertheless, New York Mets You have given him a vote of confidence that he must take full advantage of.
Craig Kimbrel agrees to Mets deal. Minors deal with MLB camp invite.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 25, 2026
This year Craig Kimbrel will try to reach 450 saves
And Craig Kimbrel makes the Major League roster in the upcoming contest, he could reach 450 career saved games. Currently he has only 10 left to enter that select group to which only four pitchers belong: Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), Lee Smith (478) and Kenley Jansen (476). The new member of the Queens team occupies fifth place in history in that department. At 37 years of age, he has a great chance of finishing his career in the Top 4.
In 2011, Craig Kimbrel won the Rookie of the Year award National League wearing the uniform Atlanta Braves. Last year, «Dirty» He returned to the Division where he began his career, pitching a single inning this time, as he also worked for Houston Astrosrecording a total of 0-1 record and a 2.25 ERA in 14 games in which he saw action from the mound.
Craig Kimbrel would not be a closer
From 2011 to 2014, Craig Kimbrel He led the old circuit in games saved each year. However, since 2018, when he saved 42 games with Boston Red Soxhas not reached 25 saves in a season again. If he reaches the big team this year, it is very likely that he will not accumulate many saves, since former Yankees players Devin Williams and Luke Weaver signed free agent contracts with New York Mets in December to strengthen the back-end of their bullpen and will surely be in charge of closing out the challenges.
Kimbrel is expected to start this year at Triple-A Syracuse, or look for a major league job elsewhere with a solid spring training performance. In his major league career he has a record of 56-48 and an ERA of 2.58. He has always been a very dominant pitcher. For every nine innings of work, he allows 5.4 hits and fanns 14.0 rivals. Additionally, opponents hit him for an anemic .170 average. He is the winner of the Hoffman and Rivera awards, which are given to the best reliever in the league. National League and the American League respectively.
For more information on the New York Mets, click here
Historian and Analyst of Cuban Baseball and MLB
Graduated in Physical Culture in 1995 in Havana, Cuba. Specialized in the history and analysis of Cuban baseball and the Major Leagues (MLB).
