PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JULY 18: Craig Kimbrel #31 of the Philadelphia Phillies has water and gum poured on him after the game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citizens Bank Park on July 18, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Brewers 4-3. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies might have enjoyed one of the final standout seasons in the career of a legendary big-league closer.
That reality was thrown into stark relief on Friday, as the former Phillies All-Star walked away from his latest team, and American League leader, as he searches for a meaningful big-league role in what might be the final campaign of a legendary career.
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Few relievers in Major League Baseball history have built a resume quite like Craig Kimbrel’s. The veteran right-hander has spent more than a decade dominating late innings, earning All-Star honors, recording hundreds of saves and establishing himself as one of the most recognizable closers of his generation.
But as his career enters its final stages, Kimbrel’s path has become much less predictable. Instead of anchoring a contender’s bullpen, the former Phillies reliever is once again searching for his next opportunity.
And shortly following the trade deadline, Kimbrel cleared the next hurdle in determining where he will pitch next by formally leaving the Tampa Bay Rays rather than accepting a minor league assignment.
“RHP Craig Kimbrel cleared waivers and will elect free agency,” the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin reported.
The move comes during a season in which Kimbrel’s legendary career status was weighed against the realities of pitching in his late 30s.
“Kimbrel, 38, is one of the best closers in history,” Darragh McDonald noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “He is currently fifth on the all-time saves list. But at this stage of his career, he’s a veteran journeyman. Dating back to the start of the 2021 season, he has pitched for nine different clubs.”
That stretch included stops with multiple playoff contenders, including his 2023 All-Star season with the Phillies.
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Phillies fans might remember Kimbrel more for his brutal National League Championship Series than they do for his All-Star regular season, but there’s no question that he is one of the most accomplished closers who is still taking the mound.
Kimbrel now enters free agency at a point in the calendar when teams have fewer avenues to make major roster upgrades. That could create another opening for a club seeking a proven veteran presence in the bullpen.
“He’ll now head to the open market to see what opportunities are out there for him,” McDonald added. “With the trade deadline now in the past, it’s harder for clubs to upgrade their rosters, which could help him. He’s obviously not the fearsome closer he once was but he has years of experience and is still reasonably effective.”
For Kimbrel, the next chapter will likely come down to whether a contender values his postseason experience and ability to handle pressure situations. While his role may no longer be that of a team’s unquestioned ninth-inning option, few available relievers can match his resume.