Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Mets Manager's Honest Craig Kimbrel Opinion Speaks Volumes

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

As soon as the New York Mets lost star closer Edwin Diaz in free agency this past offseason, it was clear that they needed proven relievers with a lot of saves under their belts added to the roster.

They quickly accomplished this by signing former Yankees closer Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million contract a few days after Diaz signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. And they weren't done there, as they also added former Yankee Luke Weaver (who has worked as a closer intermittently over the past few seasons) to a 2-year, $22 million deal.

The hope is that Williams can return to being the world-class closer that he was during his Milwaukee Brewers tenure, and that Weaver can work as a high-leverage reliever to bridge the gap to Williams and potentially take over in case Williams struggles.

However, a team can never have enough experienced closers. And the Mets' front office proved this when they signed Craig Kimbrel to a minor league deal in late January that included an invitation to spring training.

Kimbrel was once one of the most feared closers in all of baseball, particularly during his time with the Atlanta Braves.

However, his days of intimidating opposing hitters are long gone. The 37-year-old was a closer for the Baltimore Orioles during the 2024 season, when he amassed a 5.33 ERA and converted 23 of 29 saves. He spent 2025 with the Braves and the Houston Astros but only made 14 big league appearances (although he performed well in those opportunities, producing a collective 2.25 ERA).

While he might not be the Craig Kimbrel of the past, he still has 440 career regular season saves, plus he provides a ton of name value. And the Mets don't need him to pitch in the ninth inning.

Carlos Mendoza Assesses Craig Kimbrel During Mets Spring Training

Kimbrel's fate will ultimately be up to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. Mendoza weighed in on what he has seen from Kimbrel in a March 7 article from Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

Mendoza noted that Kimbrel continues to look better, that his fastball is showing better life, and that he's throwing his breaking ball for strikes. He added, "He’s sharp, so I think he’s in a good place and continues to get better.”

Craig Kimbrel is doing everything he can to make the Mets - so don't bet against him https://t.co/wZo64gyLWg pic.twitter.com/nowwwTXTlN
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) March 7, 2026

Mets fans will need to keep a close eye on how Kimbrel fares during his spring training outings to gauge the chances of him making their Opening Day roster.

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This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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