Craig Kimbrel signs with his 12th career MLB team

Craig Kimbrel is adding yet another stamp to his passport.

The veteran reliever Kimbrel is signing with the Kansas City Royals in free agency, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported on Sunday. Kimbrel is getting an MLB deal from the Royals, Heyman adds.

Now 38 years old, Kimbrel is a nine-time All-Star as well as a four-time NL saves leader. Kimbrel ranks fifth in MLB history with 440 career saves (second among active players behind only Detroit’s Kenley Jansen with 489) and also won a World Series championship with the Boston Red Sox in 2018.

That said, Kimbrel is perhaps MLB’s ultimate journeyman at this point. The Royals are now Kimbrel’s 12th career MLB team following the Atlanta Braves (two stints), San Diego Padres, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, New York Mets, and Tampa Bay Rays.

Kimbrel has not had much juice for some years now either. He split his time earlier this season between the Mets and Rays, posting a 4.81 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP over 33 appearances in total. Kimbrel became available after being designated for assignment by Tampa Bay earlier this month and electing free agency.

As for the Royals, they stink this season at 49-70 (third-worst in the AL), so they do not have a lot to lose by taking a flier on Kimbrel. Normal closer Carlos Estevez (shoulder) is still injured, and Alex Lange (6.11 ERA) and Steven Cruz (4.19 ERA) have both been pretty poor in picking up the slack in the ninth inning.

With that in mind, perhaps Kimbrel can finesse his way into padding his career stats in Kansas City with whatever meager save opportunities may arise there. That said, Kimbrel himself has experienced his fair share of mishaps this year as well.