Former Braves Closer Continues Making Atlanta Look Foolish
One of the most important sources of frustration for the Atlanta Braves within the 2025 season was how the franchise opted to deal with the exit of Craig Kimbrel. The former nearer leads Atlanta in franchise saves and was introduced again on a minor league deal in hopes of recapturing previous manufacturing. The Braves allowed Kimbrel one highway outing earlier than parting methods with the veteran in what was an unpleasant transfer. Kimbrel deserved the possibility to proceed in an underwhelming bullpen or, on the very least, the possibility to exit in entrance of his dwelling crowd.
The veteran would land with the Houston Astros, pitching in 13 video games and giving up solely three earned runs. Fast ahead a yr later, and Kimbrel has continued to show he has one thing left within the tank, pitching two scoreless outings with the New York Mets. Watching the previous Brave proceed to indicate up the Braves entrance workplace is irritating and a reminder of how badly the Braves fumbled the scenario.
Even pretty much as good as Atlanta’s bullpen has been to begin the 2026 season, it’s straightforward to argue that Kimbrel might have been an possibility in one of many ultimate two spots. Joel Payamps is a chief instance of a struggling participant whose roster spot Kimbrel might’ve stuffed. While the reliever hasn’t been rostered since final season, there ought to nonetheless be a degree of frustration as to how the scenario was managed.
Braves Continue to Pay the Price for Mismanaging Atlanta Legend Craig Kimbrel
In equity, you will need to level out that Atlanta’s front office has had more recent wins than losses with Raisel Iglesias, Dominic Smith, and Mauricio Dubon standing out as offseason wins. However, this nonetheless does not wipe away the frustration of seeing Kimbrel pitch for a hated rival and doing so at a productive degree.
Atlanta might’ve stored this manufacturing a season in the past and provided their younger bullpen an skilled veteran to lean on. Even within the 2026 season, this made sense for one of many ultimate bullpen spots with the Braves coping with a myriad of accidents to start the season.
For Kimbrel, it’s nice to see the reliever returning to type, even when it does include the Mets. The nearer meant a lot to his former group and was one of many few really dominating closers the league has seen. While as of late are behind Kimbrel, the veteran has reinvented himself and continues to search out methods to contribute.
Contributing to a rival as an alternative of his first group needs to be laid squarely on the toes of a entrance workplace that disrespected the veteran a season in the past and fumbled the chance to lock up what has been low cost manufacturing.
