The nine-time All-Star closer Craig Kimbrel signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets in January. As of right now, he does not have a clear path to make the major league team to start the season. However, if he puts on a show during spring training, he might end up impressing the Mets brass enough to secure a spot in their bullpen. If he were to make the team, Kimbrel could be a low-risk, high-reward kind of player for them.
Craig Kimbrel Can Still Contribute If He Makes the Mets Roster
The possible future Hall of Famer has been a little shaky in his last few years as he gets older. Last year, however, he put up solid numbers in the minors and in a short stint in the majors. In 39 innings pitched between Double-A and Triple-A, Kimbrel had an ERA of 3.00, a 1.051 WHIP, and 51 strikeouts. Then, in the majors, he had a stint with the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. Between those two teams, he finished the season with 12 innings pitched, a 2.25 ERA, 1.417 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts. Not a bad season at all for Kimbrel, even though it’s a small sample size.
If Kimbrel can build on last season’s success, he could end up as a valuable piece for the Mets. New York is also interested in possibly putting him on the roster due to his wisdom and experience, according to President of Baseball Operations David Stearns. Kimbrel also added a changeup to his arsenal, which was another reason why the Mets took a chance on him, as it piqued their interest. Kimbrel will be battling with some of the younger pitchers in the Mets’ farm system, like Ryan Lambert, amongst others. The 37-year-old will have to show up and show out if he wants a spot on this roster.
“It made a lot of sense for us to give it a look and give him a chance.”
Mets value experience, wisdom Craig Kimbrel could bring to roster https://t.co/oKGeDMRSXd pic.twitter.com/Rcevvbb99U
— SNY (@SNYtv) February 14, 2026
Low-Risk, High-Reward Signing
Even if the Kimbrel experiment doesn’t work out with the Mets, it won’t hurt them in the end. He will only be getting $2.5 million if he were to make the majors with the team. On the contrary, if Kimbrel shows he’s still got the stuff, it’ll be a successful signing from Stearns. All the Mets need is some consistency from Kimbrel, and they would walk out as huge winners of this signing.
Does Kimbrel Have Anything Left In The Tank?
Entering his age-38 season, it will be interesting to see what Kimbrel has left. 2025 gives you hope that he can be an asset to this team, as he showed some success in such little time. If the Mets are able to get some flashes of prime Kimbrel, they would most certainly take what they can get. Ranking fifth all-time in career saves and a former Reliever of the Year, Kimbrel needs to show the Mets that he still has something left in the tank. He will get his chance with Grapefruit League play starting this coming week. It will only be a matter of time to see if Kimbrel has what it takes to still be an MLB reliever or not.
Main Photo Credit: © Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
