By The Tampa Bay Rays are taking a low-risk, high-upside gamble by signing veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel, a move that, if it pans out, could quietly become one of the more intriguing bullpen additions of the season.
While Kimbrel is no longer the overpowering closer who dominated baseball for more than a decade, the Rays are betting that there is still enough left in the tank for the nine-time All-Star to provide value in meaningful innings.
For the Rays, the signing makes sense on several fronts. The Rays have long been one of baseball’s best organizations at rebuilding pitchers.
This year’s reclamation projects include Nick Martinez and Steven Matz, and they have excelled under the coaching of Kyle Snyder
Whether it’s tweaking mechanics or finding better matchup situations, the Rays have repeatedly revived careers that appeared to be trending downward. Kimbrel now becomes the latest project for the Rays’ pitching development machine.
At his peak, Kimbrel was one of the most feared relievers in baseball history. His fastball-curveball combination overwhelmed hitters, and his intensity on the mound made him a dominant late-game weapon. He ranks among the all-time saves leaders and has built a résumé that will likely earn Hall of Fame consideration someday.
In his career, Kimbrel has appeared in 866 games, with a 2.64 ERA. Kimbrel has 440 saves and 1299 strikeouts in his career.
However, of late, he has been inconsistent.
Kimbrel has still shown flashes of his former self, but command issues and declining velocity have made him less reliable in high-leverage situations. Walks have become more frequent, and mistakes in the strike zone have led to damaging home runs. Teams have increasingly hesitated to use him as a full-time closer.
With the New York Mets this season, Kimbrel was 0-2, appearing in 14 games with a 6.00 ERA. He had six walks and 17 strikeouts.
Unlike some teams that need Kimbrel to handle the ninth inning immediately, Tampa can ease him into a more flexible role.
The Rays do not rely on a single traditional closer; instead, they spread late-inning responsibilities among several relievers. That structure could help maximize Kimbrel’s strengths while minimizing situations where he has struggled.
The Rays’ bullpen has dealt with a ton of injuries this season. So adding an experienced arm with postseason experience provides depth and insurance.
Even if Kimbrel is no longer an elite closer, he still can cause batters to swing and miss, something every contender values in October-caliber games.
There is also little financial risk involved. If Kimbrel rediscovers his form, the Rays gain a proven late-inning arm for a bargain price. If he struggles, the organization can move on without significant consequences.
The Rays have succeeded by identifying undervalued players before the rest of the league catches on. Sometimes those moves involve young breakout candidates. Other times, they involve veterans looking for one more chance in their careers.
Kimbrel now gets that opportunity.
Although this is not the same overpowering reliever who once struck fear into hitters, if pitching coach Kyle Snyder can help him refine his command and place him in the right situations, Kimbrel could still become a useful weapon down the stretch.
And if there is one organization capable of unlocking that version of him again, it may very well be pitching coach Kyle Snyder and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Here a list of Rays pitchers currently on the DL:
-Cole Sulser is out with a back strain
-Mason Englert is out with forearm tightness
-Jesse Scholtens is out with a wrist injury.
-Edwin Uceta is expected back mid to late June
-Steven Wilson is out with a back injury
Manny Rodriguez is out with an elbow problem and should be back in June
