Future Hall of Fame Reliever Signs; Here Are Top Remaining Bullpen Options

Only eight pitchers in MLB history have earned more than 400 saves. And over the weekend, one of these arms reportedly inked a minor league deal ahead of the 2026 season.

Craig Kimbrel signed a minor league deal with the New York Mets on Jan. 24, according to New York Post columnist Jon Heyman. The deal reportedly comes with an invite to spring training, where the 37-year-old will presumably have the opportunity to compete for a spot in the team's big league bullpen.

Kimbrel, who is fifth all-time in major league saves with 440, is undoubtedly headed to the Hall of Fame whenever he decides to hang up his spikes. But none of those 440 saves came in 2025, when the nine-time All-Star only appeared in one game for the Atlanta Braves and 13 for the Houston Astros. He did have 16 strikeouts across 11 innings for the Astros, though, proving he can still get hitters out at the major league level.

With spring training just a couple of weeks away and Kimbrel now off the list of relievers still on the market, teams will have to turn their attention to other available arms if they're looking to bolster their bullpens for 2026.

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Nine intriguing relievers who are still free agents

Houston Astros pitcher Craig Kimbrel stares in to get the sign from his catcher before delivering a pitch. — Sep 7, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Houston Astros relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Many top-end relievers have already signed with new clubs for 2026 and beyond, including Edwin Díaz with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Robert Suárez with Atlanta, and Devin Williams with the Mets. But there are still plenty of quality options available in free agency for any team in the market for relief arms.

Among the relievers who ranked in the top 40 for saves last year and remain unsigned at this point, Shelby Miller, Luke Jackson, and Tommy Kahnle are all still free agents. Former closer David Robertson is also a free agent, but he's turning 41 in April and it's unclear what his plans are for the upcoming season.

Several southpaws are still up for grabs, including Danny Coulombe, Jalen Beeks, Andrew Chafin, and Justin Wilson. Coulombe, in particular, is an intriguing option after posting a 1.16 ERA in 40 games with the Minnesota Twins last year before getting sent to the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline, where he had a 5.25 ERA in 15 games.

Another potential high-risk, high-reward relief option is Michael Kopech. The 2014 first-round pick by the Boston Red Sox has battled injuries throughout his career and was limited to just 14 games in 2025 with the Dodgers. But when healthy, the 29-year-old has an electric fastball that some team could decide to take a flyer on.

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