Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Houston Astros Land 9-Time All-Star Moments Before Orioles Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Aug 21, 2025 9:38 PM ET

The Houston Astros entered Thursday night at 69-58, riding a brutal four-game losing streak in which they’ve managed just two runs over their last 37 innings.

While the offense has sputtered and the starting pitching has been shaky of late, the bullpen has remained a strength—ranking ninth in the league with a 3.77 ERA.

Looking to build on that strength, Houston made another addition just moments be fore first pitch against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday.

According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan , nine-time MLB All-Star closer and 16-year veteran Craig Kimbrel is joining the Astros on a big league contract. Kimbrel had a brief one-game stint with the Atlanta Braves this season before asking for his release from the Texas Rangers’ minor league system earlier Thursday.

Veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel is signing with the Houston Astros, a source tells ESPN. He'll be joining their big league team.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 21, 2025

Craig Kimbrel, 37, has struggled to find consistency in recent years, often bouncing from team to team on one-year stints. That said, he's maintained a 2.59 career ERA and has recorded 56 career wins.

Still, at his peak, Kimbrel was as dominant as any closer in Major League Baseball—and his resume has firmly placed him in the Hall of Fame conversation once his career wraps up.

His best stretch came with the Atlanta Braves from 2010 to 2014, when he won Rookie of the Year and earned four consecutive All-Star nods. He later added three more straight selections with the Boston Red Sox from 2016 to 2018, playing a key role in their World Series championship run.

Now, he joins a competitive Astros bullpen and any boost Kimbrel can provide down the stretch—and potentially into October—would be a valuable piece in Houston’s push to return to the World Series for the first time since 2022.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: