The Rangers are reportedly signing veteran right-handed reliever Craig Kimbrel to a Minor League contract, according to a source from MLB.com on Tuesday. The team has yet to officially confirm the deal.
Kimbrel, 37, was designated for assignment on June 7 after pitching just one scoreless inning for the Braves this season. He had originally joined Atlanta on a Minor League deal following Spring Training and spent the early part of the season working his way back in the Minors.
On Friday night, he pitched a scoreless seventh inning for the Braves, with his sinker topping out at 92.8 mph and averaging 91.6 mph.
Kimbrel, a nine-time All-Star and the 2011 National League Rookie of the Year during his first tenure with Atlanta, has amassed 440 career saves and holds a 2.59 ERA over 16 MLB seasons.
Although he made the All-Star team as recently as 2023 while posting a 3.26 ERA in Philadelphia, his performance declined in 2024, as he struggled with a 5.33 ERA in Baltimore before being designated for assignment in September.
While he may no longer be the dominant closer he once was, the Rangers view this as a low-risk, high-reward opportunity. Their bullpen currently ranks seventh in the American League with a 3.56 ERA.
