{"id":118561,"date":"2026-04-11T11:16:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=118561"},"modified":"2026-04-11T11:16:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T15:16:12","slug":"craig-kimbrel-called-up-by-mets-how-the-37-year-old-closer-can-fix-new-yorks-bullpen-problems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/04\/11\/craig-kimbrel-called-up-by-mets-how-the-37-year-old-closer-can-fix-new-yorks-bullpen-problems\/","title":{"rendered":"Craig Kimbrel Called Up by Mets: How the 37-Year-Old Closer Can Fix New York\u2019s Bullpen Problems"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2 data-section-id=\"ahuq8u\" data-start=\"283\" data-end=\"350\">Mets Call Up Craig Kimbrel as Bullpen Issues Mount Early in 2026<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"352\" data-end=\"518\">The <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/teams\/NYM\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">New York Mets<\/span><\/span><\/a> are just two weeks into the 2026 season, sitting at 7\u20137, but one issue has already become clear: the bullpen needs help.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"520\" data-end=\"646\">In response, New York made a notable move \u2014 calling up veteran closer <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.baseball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kimbrcr01.shtml\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span class=\"hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline\"><span class=\"whitespace-normal\">Craig Kimbrel<\/span><\/span><\/a> from Triple-A.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"648\" data-end=\"872\">At 37 years old, Kimbrel is no longer the dominant, untouchable force he once was. But this isn\u2019t about <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2023\/04\/28\/craig-kimbrel-saves-milestone\/\" target=\"_self\">recapturing the past<\/a>. This is about solving a present problem \u2014 and Kimbrel may be uniquely equipped to do exactly that.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"rt8i4k\" data-start=\"879\" data-end=\"912\">Why the Mets Turned to Kimbrel<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_71114\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71114\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-71114\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2024\/04\/USATSI_23040411_168403884_lowres.jpg 1149w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-71114\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apr 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Craig Kimbrel prepares to throw a ninth inning pitch against the Minnesota Twins on Jackie Robinson day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"914\" data-end=\"969\">Early in the season, the Mets bullpen has struggled to:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"970\" data-end=\"1062\">\n<li data-section-id=\"17mr3t7\" data-start=\"970\" data-end=\"995\">Close out tight games<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"10jrcpq\" data-start=\"996\" data-end=\"1036\">Maintain consistency in late innings<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"2ix295\" data-start=\"1037\" data-end=\"1062\">Establish clear roles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1064\" data-end=\"1175\">These are common early-season issues, but they can quickly become costly in a competitive National League race.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1177\" data-end=\"1206\">That\u2019s where Kimbrel fits in.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1208\" data-end=\"1361\">This move isn\u2019t just about adding another arm \u2014 it\u2019s about adding structure, experience, and reliability to a bullpen that currently lacks all three.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"1wau0t7\" data-start=\"1368\" data-end=\"1408\">What Craig Kimbrel Still Brings at 37<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"1410\" data-end=\"1573\">Kimbrel\u2019s prime years made him one of the most dominant closers in baseball history. While he\u2019s no longer at that level, his skillset still translates in key ways.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"10f7ssu\" data-start=\"1575\" data-end=\"1610\">1. Elite Late-Inning Experience<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"1612\" data-end=\"1686\">Few pitchers in MLB history have handled pressure situations like Kimbrel.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1688\" data-end=\"1695\">He has:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1696\" data-end=\"1800\">\n<li data-section-id=\"89yk9\" data-start=\"1696\" data-end=\"1724\">Closed hundreds of games<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"xco5v\" data-start=\"1725\" data-end=\"1763\">Pitched in postseason environments<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"198v378\" data-start=\"1764\" data-end=\"1800\">Thrived in high-leverage moments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1802\" data-end=\"1889\">For a bullpen that\u2019s still finding its identity, that kind of experience is invaluable.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1891\" data-end=\"2013\">Kimbrel doesn\u2019t need to overpower hitters \u2014 he needs to execute in big moments, something he\u2019s done his entire career.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"uwkpic\" data-start=\"2020\" data-end=\"2059\">2. Strikeout Stuff That Still Plays<\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_101755\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-101755\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"The Astros are reportedly signing veteran Craig Kimbrel to a major league deal.\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-101755\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/06\/USATSI_26396487_168400885_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-101755\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jun 6, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"2061\" data-end=\"2146\">Even in the later stages of his career, Kimbrel remains a <strong data-start=\"2119\" data-end=\"2145\">swing-and-miss pitcher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2148\" data-end=\"2189\">His fastball-curveball combination still:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2190\" data-end=\"2262\">\n<li data-section-id=\"143fugv\" data-start=\"2190\" data-end=\"2214\">Generates strikeouts<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"kkzdvz\" data-start=\"2215\" data-end=\"2231\">Escapes jams<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1eyztmc\" data-start=\"2232\" data-end=\"2262\">Limits reliance on contact<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2264\" data-end=\"2361\">In high-pressure innings, the ability to miss bats is critical \u2014 especially with runners on base.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2363\" data-end=\"2422\">That\u2019s something the Mets bullpen has lacked early in 2026.<\/p>\n<h3 data-section-id=\"e95fbv\" data-start=\"2429\" data-end=\"2460\">3. Immediate Role Stability<\/h3>\n<p data-start=\"2462\" data-end=\"2548\">Perhaps the biggest impact Kimbrel can make isn\u2019t just performance \u2014 it\u2019s <strong data-start=\"2536\" data-end=\"2547\">clarity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2550\" data-end=\"2637\">Right now, the Mets bullpen doesn\u2019t have defined roles. Kimbrel changes that instantly.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2639\" data-end=\"2657\">He can slot in as:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"2658\" data-end=\"2757\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1wc6gdd\" data-start=\"2658\" data-end=\"2678\">A primary closer<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1kpvbfj\" data-start=\"2679\" data-end=\"2712\">A setup man in the 8th inning<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"1xfh5ef\" data-start=\"2713\" data-end=\"2757\">A high-leverage option based on matchups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2759\" data-end=\"2873\">Even if he\u2019s not the full-time closer, his presence helps push other relievers into more natural, effective roles.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2875\" data-end=\"2935\">And in bullpen management, structure often leads to success.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"1gatpi8\" data-start=\"2942\" data-end=\"2963\">The Risks Are Real<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"2965\" data-end=\"3024\">There\u2019s a reason Kimbrel was available to begin the season.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3026\" data-end=\"3063\">At 37, there are legitimate concerns:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3064\" data-end=\"3173\">\n<li data-section-id=\"16478cm\" data-start=\"3064\" data-end=\"3089\">Command inconsistency<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"184xuql\" data-start=\"3090\" data-end=\"3129\">Occasional struggles with home runs<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"ub23dv\" data-start=\"3130\" data-end=\"3173\">Declining velocity compared to his peak<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3175\" data-end=\"3223\">He is no longer a \u201cset-it-and-forget-it\u201d closer.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3225\" data-end=\"3306\">Instead, he\u2019s a <strong data-start=\"3241\" data-end=\"3262\">calculated gamble<\/strong> \u2014 one that could pay off if used correctly.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"4n4a98\" data-start=\"3313\" data-end=\"3353\">Why This Move Could Work for New York<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_111492\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-111492\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-111492\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/12\/USATSI_23948644-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-111492\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aug 8, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; A New York Mets hat and glove in the dugout in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p data-start=\"3355\" data-end=\"3391\">The key to this move is expectation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3393\" data-end=\"3501\">If the Mets are relying on Kimbrel to be the dominant All-Star version of himself, they may be disappointed.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3503\" data-end=\"3526\">But if they use him as:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"3527\" data-end=\"3600\">\n<li data-section-id=\"1lbzk4\" data-start=\"3527\" data-end=\"3552\">A stabilizing veteran<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"56nmua\" data-start=\"3553\" data-end=\"3579\">A high-leverage option<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"9fzta6\" data-start=\"3580\" data-end=\"3600\">A bullpen leader<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"3602\" data-end=\"3659\">Then this move becomes smart \u2014 and potentially impactful.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3661\" data-end=\"3763\">For a team sitting at .500, small improvements in bullpen performance can quickly translate into wins.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3765\" data-end=\"3881\">One or two extra saves over a few weeks can be the difference between staying in the playoff race or falling behind.<\/p>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"1fjl1q7\" data-start=\"3888\" data-end=\"3934\">What This Means for the Mets Moving Forward<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"3936\" data-end=\"3995\">At 7\u20137, the Mets are still defining their identity in 2026.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"3997\" data-end=\"4035\">Calling up Kimbrel signals two things:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4036\" data-end=\"4124\">\n<li data-section-id=\"ecjhzt\" data-start=\"4036\" data-end=\"4080\">They recognize the bullpen as a weakness<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"f5igfz\" data-start=\"4081\" data-end=\"4124\">They are willing to act early to fix it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"4126\" data-end=\"4161\">If Kimbrel performs well, he could:<\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"4162\" data-end=\"4317\">\n<li data-section-id=\"14e7f0f\" data-start=\"4162\" data-end=\"4194\">Take over late-inning duties<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"uapcoe\" data-start=\"4195\" data-end=\"4234\">Help solidify the bullpen long-term<\/li>\n<li data-section-id=\"17fe19j\" data-start=\"4235\" data-end=\"4317\">Even become a valuable piece in a potential trade scenario later in the season<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-section-id=\"1hhc9cs\" data-start=\"4324\" data-end=\"4341\">The Last Word<\/h2>\n<p data-start=\"4343\" data-end=\"4462\">Craig Kimbrel doesn\u2019t need to be the best version of himself to help the Mets \u2014 he just needs to be <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2026\/04\/10\/breaking-down-hall-of-fame-cases-for-jansen-kimbrel-and-chapman\/\" target=\"_self\">a reliable one<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4464\" data-end=\"4615\">For a bullpen searching for answers, that alone could be enough to turn close losses into wins and keep New York firmly in the postseason conversation.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"4617\" data-end=\"4689\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">And in a long MLB season, those small differences often mean everything.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mets Call Up Craig Kimbrel as Bullpen Issues Mount Early in 2026 The New York Mets are just two weeks into the 2026 season, sitting at 7\u20137, but one issue has already become clear: the bullpen needs help. In response, New York made a notable move \u2014 calling up veteran closer Craig Kimbrel from Triple-A. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5710,"featured_media":114166,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"763","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6171,1071,22],"tags":[2174,323,814,164],"class_list":["post-118561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-sports-gambling","category-mlb","category-mets","tag-closer","tag-craig-kimbrel","tag-elite-closers","tag-new-york-mets"],"modified_by":"Eddie Lennon, Staff Writer","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5710"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118561"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118561\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":118564,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118561\/revisions\/118564"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114166"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}