When might Craig Kimbrel join the Braves?

For nostalgia purposes, the Braves signing Craig Kimbrel to a minor-league contract was one of the exciting parts of an excruciatingly quiet offseason. The now 37-year-old reliever with 440 saves to his name is hoping to end his career on a high note where it all began when he was a fresh-faced 22-year-old back in 2010.

2011-2014 might be the most dominant four-year stretch we’ve seen from a closer in MLB history, as Craig Kimbrel led the league in saves in all four seasons, earning All-Star honors and finishing in the top 10 in the NL Cy Young award race each season. He racked up nearly 200 saves over that stretch with a 1.51 ERA and 252 ERA+ (152% above league average).

That guy hasn’t toed the rubber in quite some time. Most recently, Craig Kimbrel posted a 5.33 ERA over 57 appearances for the Orioles last season. However, he was an All-Star as recently as 2023, earning the honors with the Phillies in a season in which he recorded a 3.26 ERA over 71 appearances.

What the Braves get from Craig Kimbrel should really be viewed as icing on the cake. Unfortunately, this is an Atlanta bullpen that really needs him to show up and be a factor sooner rather than later.

Before yesterday’s series finale against the Phillies, Braves manager Brian Snitker provided an update on the veteran reliever. Kimbrel is continuing to ramp things up in Florida, but he has yet to face batters. Once he reaches that stage, he’ll have to work his way through the minors before joining the major-league club.