The Craig Kimbrel era was off to a brutal start for the New York Mets, and depending on how the rest of the league views the nine-time All-Star, his time in the Mets organization may be coming to an end.
On Friday, the Mets announced on X and via the league's official transactions log that Kimbrel had been designated for assignment. As the corresponding move, top right-handed pitching prospect Jonah Tong was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse.
Kimbrel, 37, made 14 appearances for the Mets and allowed 10 earned runs over the course of 15 innings, including a grand slam against the Colorado Rockies earlier this month that broke a 2-2 eighth-inning tie. Though he was an All-Star as recently as 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies, it was a legitimate question coming into this season whether the all-time great closer had anything left in the tank -- and now, 29 other teams must decide whether they believe that by virtue of claiming him off waivers or passing.
If Kimbrel clears waivers, he could accept an outright assignment to Triple-A Syracuse or elect free agency and join one of the other 29 teams at his own will. He was on a one-year, $2.5 million contract by virtue of making the Mets' opening day roster, so any team that claimed him would be on the hook for the rest of that money.
Kimbrel has 440 career saves, putting him fifth on the all-time leaderboard and second among active pitchers behind Kenley Jansen's 483. Unlike Jansen, it would seem as though Kimbrel's chances of reaching the 500 mark someday have become awfully slim.
Though Friday's roster move was a clear signal that the Mets felt they no longer needed to prioritize the Kimbrel experiment, it's possible his window of opportunity in New York hasn't yet closed. He could find his way back if he accepted the assignment to Triple-A.