New York Mets Sign Craig Kimbrel to Minor League Deal

The Mets are bringing in this veteran closer on a minors deal, with a chance to make the team out of camp.

Jun 6, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) looks at the catcher against the San Francisco Giants during the seventh inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

The New York Mets continued their busy offseason by bringing in a decorated closer for bullpen depth.

Late on Saturday, reliever Craig Kimbrel signed a minor league deal with the Mets that contains a MLB spring training invitation, as a source confirmed to Pat Ragazzo of On SI. The New York Post's Jon Heyman was the first to report the signing, while Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that Kimbrel will receive a $2.5 million base salary if he makes the team.

Source: Craig Kimbrel has agreed to a minor league deal with the New York Mets that includes a MLB spring training invite @JonHeyman was first on it

— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) January 25, 2026

Kimbrel, 37, is perhaps one of the best closers of his generation, being instantly recognizable by baseball fans for his pre-pitch stance, hard fastball, and sharp-breaking curveball. As a rookie in 2011 with the Atlanta Braves (a hated rival of the Mets), the right-hander set a rookie record with 46 saves while posting a 2.10 ERA, 1.52 FIP and 127 strikeouts in just 77 innings, subsequently winning the NL Rookie of the Year Award.

Entering the 2026 season, Kimbrel has the fifth-most saves in baseball history with 440, which is the second-most among active players (behind Kenley Jansen). A nine-time All-Star, he has a 2.58 lifetime ERA, 2.61 FIP, 1.02 WHIP and 14.04 strikeouts per nine innings; in four different seasons, Kimbrel struck out 100 batters or more in fewer than 80 innings.

Despite his pedigree, the Mets would be the right-hander's eighth different team since 2021 if he successfully makes the big-league roster. Over the past five seasons, he's pitched with the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, and Houston Astros, in addition to a second stint with the Braves that lasted just one appearance. Kimbrel also signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers in the middle of the 2025 season, but would not make a major league appearance with them.

Craig Kimbrel and the Mets are in agreement on a minors deal, league sources confirm (@JonHeyman first).

Kimbrel gets a $2.5 million base salary if he makes the team, per league sources.

— Will Sammon (@WillSammon) January 25, 2026

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Although Kimbrel may not be the pitcher he once was, it certainly doesn't hurt the Mets to take a flier on him as their bullpen is already looking very different. The biggest change is the loss of Edwin Diaz after he signed with the Dodgers during the Winter Meetings back in December, but key setup men Reed Garrett and Dedniel Núñez will not be pitching at all in 2026 after both underwent Tommy John surgery.

New York has addressed the bullpen this winter by signing free agents Devin Williams, Luke Weaver and Luis Garcia; Williams will be the team's closer, while Weaver will likely be used in tandem with A.J. Minter as a setup man. Other relievers on the Mets' 40-man roster include Huascar Brazobán, Joey Gerber, Richard Lovelady, Brooks Raley and hard-throwing prospect Dylan Ross.

In spite of a dominant campaign from the since-departed Diaz in 2025, the Mets' relief corps struggled with consistency and totaled a middling 3.93 ERA (15th in the majors). With Williams in tow, Kimbrel will not be utilized in his usual role if he makes the team, but his ability to generate swings and misses should still be valuable to New York's bullpen.

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