Craig Kimbrel signs with leading AL contender

Craig Kimbrel is not quite finished just yet.

The nine-time All-Star reliever Kimbrel is signing with the Houston Astros, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported Thursday. Kimbrel is set to join the big-league roster as well, Passan adds.

At 37 years old, Kimbrel is second among active MLB players with 440 career saves (trailing only Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Angels with 470 saves). Now he will be getting a chance to potentially add to that tally with the 69-58 Astros, who are currently leading the American League West.

For Houston, the right-hander Kimbrel fills a major need in their bullpen. Fellow closer Josh Hader is out for the remainder of the regular season due to a shoulder injury, and the signs are not even all that encouraging right now for the possibility of Hader in the postseason. With Hader out of commission, the Astros appear to be turning to a closer-by-commitee situation (with Bryan Abreu currently leading the charge).

Kimbrel has only made one MLB appearance this season with the Atlanta Braves, who bizarrely decided to part ways with him following that appearance. He then spent time on a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers. Meanwhile, Kimbrel previously posted a 5.33 ERA over 57 appearances for the Baltimore Orioles in the 2024 season, marking his last full MLB campaign.

The four-time National League saves leader Kimbrel might not necessarily be a primary option for the Astros in high-leverage situations. But with plenty of postseason experience and a World Series ring as the closer for the Boston Red Sox in 2018, Kimbrel is probably the best that Houston can get right now with the trade deadline having already passed.