Veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel is heading back to where he made his mark in baseball history. The 15-year MLB veteran has signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves, the team where he spent the first five years of his career and dominated as one of the league’s top closers. During his initial stint with Atlanta, Kimbrel led the National League in saves for four straight seasons. The agreement, reportedly worth $2 million if he makes the Braves’ roster, has been widely reported by multiple outlets but has yet to be officially confirmed by the team.
Now 36, Kimbrel is a nine-time All-Star, with four of those selections coming during his time with the Braves. He also finished in the top 10 of NL Cy Young voting in each of those four standout seasons. Last year, Kimbrel began as the Baltimore Orioles’ closer, successfully converting 23 of 29 save opportunities. However, his performance declined sharply late in the season, as he gave up 23 earned runs over his final 19 appearances, prompting the Orioles to release him in September.
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