Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Craig Kimbrel Makes Honest Admission About Mets' Roster Hopes

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI | By Grant Young | Last updated Mar 19, 2026 8:00 AM ET

There is a lot of interest in whether longtime MLB reliever Craig Kimbrel will be on the New York Mets' Opening Day roster this season.

The Mets signed Kimbrel to a minor league deal in late January, which included an invitation to spring training. He's coming off a solid 2025 campaign with the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros, but in a limited sample size (he produced a 2.25 ERA across 14 big league appearances). The reality is that Kimbrel's effectiveness has been diminishing for years, as shown by his 5.33 ERA with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.

Yet, given that Kimbrel has 440 career regular season saves and endless experience pitching in the ninth inning of close games, he could serve as a solid last-resort option for the back end of New York's bullpen.

Kimbrel has produced a solid 3.60 ERA in 5 appearances for the Mets this spring, although he has also issued 5 walks with just 2 strikeouts. While his fastball velocity being down is concerning, Kimbrel has shown that he can still get outs without being the flamethrower he was in his prime.

When assessing where Kimbrel stood at this point, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, "He’s sharp, so I think he’s in a good place and continues to get better," per a March 7 article from Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

Craig Kimbrel Speaks on Potentially Making Mets' Roster

“We’re getting close to the end. My body feels good. I wish I could show a little bit more out there velocity-wise. I’m throwing most of my pitches like I want to, but not all of them. That’s about where I am," Kimbrel said, per an X post from SNY.

When speaking about his chances of making the Mets' roster, he later added, “It’s not up to me. It just kind of depends on what they want the roster to look like, who they want down in the bullpen and who they think is going to help the team to start the year. Do I feel like I can do that? Absolutely. But it’s not my choice," per a March 17 article from Anthony DiComo of MLB.com.

"My body feels good, I wish I could show a little bit more out there velocity-wise but I'm throwing some of my pitches like I want to"

Craig Kimbrel on how he's feeling this spring with the start of the season looming: pic.twitter.com/ZdO9rWUlHt
— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) March 17, 2026