The Houston Astros just picked up former Braves legendary closer Craig Kimbrel. This is an interesting move. On one side, you have legitimate contender that has gotten banged up. Then on the other side, you have a future Hall of Famer that has struggled at the tail end of his career. Kimbrel is officially an Astro, and appears to be making one final push to close out his career in Major League Baseball.
Let’s just call this what it is: desperation dressed up in a press release.
The Houston Astros are still technically in control of the AL West, but that grip is about as firm as a greased-up foul ball — two games ahead of the Seattle Mariners and nursing more wounds than a postgame ice bath.
Their bullpen — the very thing that’s supposed to shut the door — just lost its All-Star closer, Josh Hader, thanks to a left shoulder capsule sprain that sounds as painful as it is ominous. Enter: Craig Kimbrel. Yes, that Craig Kimbrel — the one-time fire-breathing closer from Atlanta’s golden bullpen era.
What Has Kimbrel Done in 2025?
But let’s not get carried away here. Kimbrel isn’t exactly rolling in with his cape flying. He started this season in the Braves’ Triple-A system, and while the fans were nostalgic for the flamethrower of old, the guy on the mound wasn’t exactly striking fear into hearts. One scoreless outing with Atlanta’s big-league club was all it took for the Braves to designate him for assignment — and that came after a bullpen meltdown that should’ve made anyone look good by comparison.
Then he lands with the Rangers’ Triple-A team, where he put up a decent-but-not-dazzling 3.86 ERA over 24 games. That might pass for serviceable if your bullpen is falling apart — and guess what? Houston’s is. So the Astros, fresh off breaking a four-game skid, looked around and realized they couldn’t afford to be picky.
So here we are. Kimbrel, 37, is getting what’s likely his final shot on a Major League mound, and it’s happening in the heart of a playoff race. For Houston, the move is less about “let’s fix this” and more about “let’s try something — anything.” For Kimbrel? It’s one last gasp to stay relevant in a league that’s clearly moved on from what he used to be.
Whether this ends in a fairytale finish or a forgettable fadeout, one thing’s for sure: both the Astros and Kimbrel are hoping the past can save their future.
