Braves’ handling of Craig Kimbrel was not received well in the organization

The Braves haven’t been the Braves we’ve come to love over the last 18 months or so.

Whether it’s a rigid clubhouse, firing coaches, or underperforming stars, this doesn’t feel like the world class organization that Braves Country has come to expect, and one of the latest examples of such was Atlanta’s handling of Craig Kimbrel.

After biding his time in Triple-A Gwinnett while Atlanta’s bullpen blew late-game leads, Kimbrel was eventually called upon during the trip to San Francisco. The 37-year-old didn’t look crisp, but he held the Giants to a scoreless frame.

The day after his only appearance, the Braves designated Kimbrel for assignment, recalling little-known reliever Austin Cox to replace him. The future Hall of Fame reliever isn’t who he once was, but the entire process was not indicative of how the Braves have typically carried themselves.

The club signed a legend in Braves Country who grew up in the organization, let him rot with the Stripers for more than a month, called him up for one appearance in which he tossed a scoreless inning in a high leverage situation, and then decided to DFA him the very next day.

It would’ve been somewhat understandable if the Braves’ bullpen was loaded with studs, but it is the weakest unit on the team. And this isn’t necessarily a shot at Austin Cox either, but rather a question of what the hell this organization has come to?

It seemed the fan base’s reaction wasn’t singular. The Braves handling of Craig Kimbrel’s return wasn’t appreciated in the organization either, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon.

“That really frustrated me and a lot of the guys in our locker room were very frustrated with it,” James McCann said of Atlanta’s handling of Kimbrel. “It was strange to call him up for a day and DFA him. He’s not just a run-of-the-mill reliever who became a journeyman after two or three years in the big leagues. He’s a future Hall of Famer.”

Similar to Kimbrel, James McCann signed a minor-league deal with the Braves, with the same rolling opt-out. Meaning, if another team offers him a major-league contract, Atlanta must either promote him or allow him to depart.

What’s also unusual for the Braves is players, let alone veterans, speaking out in criticism of the organization.