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Craig Kimbrel is staying in the state of Texas despite getting released by the Texas Rangers on Thursday. Not long after Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reported that the Rangers granted Kimbrel his release from the Triple-A team, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported that Kimbrel is signing with the Houston Astros. The 37-year-old will join the big league club, according to Passan.
Kimbrel, a nine-time All-Star closer, is not the same pitcher he once was. He most recently earned an All-Star selection in 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies. His best years came in the early 2010s with the Atlanta Braves, though.
In 2024, Kimbrel joined the Baltimore Orioles for what would end up becoming a disastrous stint. He pitched to a lackluster 5.33 ERA across 57 games pitched. The Braves and Kimbrel reunited for the 2025 season, but the reliever appeared in just one big league game in Atlanta before getting designated for assignment.
He later signed a minor league contract with the Rangers and did not pitch at the MLB level with Texas before Thursday's release. The Astros are prepared to offer Kimbrel an opportunity in the big leagues once again.
It's an interesting decision for Houston. Kimbrel has a proven track record and the Astros would benefit from the bullpen help. With that being said, Kimbrel has just one appearance at the MLB level so far in 2025.
Nevertheless, Houston clearly believes Kimbrel still has something left in the tank. Kimbrel's perseverance is admirable. He is not ready to give up on his MLB career — and his determination is now set to pay off.
Houston leads the Seattle Mariners by 1.5 games in the American League West division as of this story's writing. The Astros have been one of the most competitive teams in the sport over the past decade. Houston has won two championships during that span. The ball club is hopeful that Craig Kimbrel can positively impact their pursuit of a third World Series victory within the past 10 seasons.
