He’s the King of the Save. So When Does Craig Kimbrel Finally Finish?
Craig Kimbrel: The Superstar Pitcher Who Keeps Playing Against the Odds
Who Is Craig Kimbrel? (The Superstar Years)
Imagine a baseball player so good at finishing games that batters feel nervous just seeing him walk to the mound. That was Craig Kimbrel in his prime.
- The "Closer" Role: In baseball, the "closer" is the pitcher who comes in at the very end of a close game to get the final three outs. It’s a high-pressure job.
- Elite Numbers: Kimbrel was one of the best ever. He has 440 career saves — that’s 5th most in baseball history. Only four pitchers have more: Mariano Rivera (652), Trevor Hoffman (601), Kenley Jansen (492), and Lee Smith (478).
- Dominance: For four straight years, he led the National League in saves. He was an All-Star (one of the best players picked for a special game) in seven of his first eight full seasons.
- Signature Look: He had a famous "death stare" and a unique pitching pose (hunched over, clawing the ball) that intimidated hitters before he even threw a pitch.
IMPORTANT POINT
A "save" happens when a pitcher finishes a game his team is winning by a small margin (usually 3 runs or less). It’s the main stat used to measure how good a closer is. Kimbrel’s 440 saves put him in extremely rare company.
The Roller Coaster Since 2021 (11 Teams in 5 Years)
Since 2021, Kimbrel’s career has looked less like a Hall of Fame path and more like a game of musical chairs.
| What Happened | Details |
|---|---|
| Teams Played For | 11 different teams in 5 calendar years |
| Uniforms Worn | 14 different uniforms (including minor league teams) |
| Chicago Teams | Played for BOTH the Cubs and White Sox |
| Texas Teams | Signed with BOTH the Rangers and Astros |
| Atlanta Return | Briefly returned to the Braves (where he started) for exactly one game |
| Transactions | Traded twice, named All-Star twice, cut or sent to minors six times |
| Minor League Stints | Three long stays in Triple-A (the highest minor league, one step below the majors) |
The Atlanta Heartbreak: In 2023, Kimbrel went back to Atlanta — the team that drafted him — after 11 years away. He spent two months in Triple-A, got called up for one road game, got three outs (allowed a hit and walk), and was cut five days later. His former teammate Jonny Venters said: "I was disappointed in the way that got handled… I just wish he would have gotten a few more opportunities. At least let him come home to Atlanta."
The Bounce Back: Five days after Atlanta cut him, the Texas Rangers signed him. He pitched 24 games for their Triple-A team (Round Rock Express) — proving he wasn’t ready to quit.
Why Has He Struggled? (The Numbers Don’t Lie)
Baseball is a numbers game, and Kimbrel’s numbers have dropped significantly.
The Velocity Drop
- Peak (2017): Fastball averaged 98.3 mph (blazing fast!)
- Now (2024): Fastball averages 93.5 mph (still fast, but much more hittable)
The "Whiff Rate" Collapse
- "Whiff" = When a batter swings and misses completely.
- Peak Season: Batters missed 42.7% of their swings against him.
- Recent Years: Batters miss only 25.1% of swings.
Overall Performance (Last 3 Years)
- ERA (Earned Run Average): 4.66 — This means for every 9 innings he pitches, the other team scores almost 5 runs. For a closer, that’s poor.
- WAR (Wins Above Replacement): -0.6 — This advanced stat says he’s been worse than a replacement-level player (someone you could easily call up from the minors).
New Pitches, Mixed Results
To compensate for his slower fastball, Kimbrel added:
- A "Sweeper" — A slider that moves sideways sharply
- A Changeup — A slower pitch that looks like a fastball but drops
The Problem: The data says these new pitches "don’t grade out very well" — meaning they aren’t fooling hitters consistently.
IMPORTANT POINT
Pitching is like a magic trick. For years, Kimbrel’s trick was "throw it 98 mph past you." Now that he can’t do that anymore, he’s trying to learn new tricks (sweeper, changeup), but they aren’t working as well as his old trick used to.
The Mental Side: Why Is It So Hard to Quit?
This is the central question of the article. Kimbrel is 38, his skills have faded, teams keep cutting him — so why keep going?
The Psychologist’s View
Dr. Megan Neyer (a sports psychologist who helps athletes transition to retirement, though she’s never met Kimbrel) explains:
"Anybody in the professional ranks with his resume, their identity is very heavily tied to being an athlete… The more central your athletic identity is to who you perceive yourself to be, it is predictive of how much more likely it is that you’re going to have difficulty transitioning out of the role as an athlete."
In ELI5 terms: Imagine you’ve been "The Best Closer in Baseball" for 15 years. That’s not just your job — it’s who you are. Stopping doesn’t just mean finding a new job; it means figuring out who you are without the game.
Kimbrel’s Own Words
When asked about retirement, he said: "Yes and no."
- Yes: Of course he’s thought about it. You don’t get cut 6 times in 5 years without wondering if it’s time.
- No: Because he still believes in himself. He looks at the data ("analytically, how my stuff’s playing") and sees reasons for confidence. He says: "I still love playing this game. I still feel like I’m a professional. I feel like I can still work. I can still get guys out."
The "One More Team" Factor
There’s always been at least one team willing to give him a chance. The Royals’ president of baseball operations, J.J. Picollo, put it perfectly:
"Once you walk away, you’re done. So you’ve got to be really careful, and very decisive. And if your heart’s not telling you that you’re done, then you should keep playing."
A Full-Circle Moment: The Scout Who Signed Him Brings Him Back
Here’s a beautiful detail: The person who first gave Kimbrel his chance is the same person who just gave him his latest chance.
- Brian Bridges was the Atlanta Braves scout who drafted Kimbrel in the 3rd round in 2008.
- Brian Bridges is now the Kansas City Royals’ Scouting Director.
- The Royals saw Kimbrel pitch earlier this year (when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays), liked his professionalism and track record, and signed him — desperate for innings because they have 10 pitchers on the injured list.
The Hall of Fame Question
Part of why Kimbrel keeps pitching might be his Hall of Fame case.
- The Case FOR Him: 440 saves (5th all-time), 4 straight years leading the league in saves, 7 All-Star selections in 8 years, one of the most dominant peaks ever for a closer.
- The Case AGAINST Him: The closer role is changing (teams use multiple pitchers in the 9th inning now, so save totals are lower), and his recent years have been bad (4.66 ERA, -0.6 WAR).
- The "Save" Record Is Safe: Because of how baseball works now, Kimbrel’s save total might never be beaten. Modern closers get fewer chances.
- Kimbrel’s View: "That’s been talked about since very early on in my career… I’m still pitching to prove that I can do that [save games]."
What Happened in His First Game with the Royals?
The article ends with a vivid scene from Kimbrel’s first appearance for Kansas City — and it perfectly sums up where his career is now.
The Situation:
- Team: Kansas City Royals (last place, playoff odds under 0.1% — basically zero)
- Game: 0-0 tie, 7th inning at Angel Stadium (not even the 9th inning!)
- Why Him? The bullpen was exhausted ("gassed"). They’d lost 3 close games to the Dodgers and used 5 relievers the night before. Kimbrel was simply "the next best man up."
The Action:
- Batter 1: Hit a deep fly ball to the back of the warning track (almost a home run).
- Batter 2: Crushed a 104.4 mph line drive into the gap — only a miracle catch by the center fielder turned it into an out.
- Batter 3: Lined a single (got on base).
- Result: Kimbrel got three outs, zero runs allowed — a "scoreless inning."
The Reality Check:
- Old Kimbrel: 1-2-3 inning, three strikeouts, batters looked helpless.
- New Kimbrel: Hard-hit balls everywhere, sweating, wiped his brow, survived by luck and defense.
- His Take: "Scoreless innings are rarer for Kimbrel, and look a lot different than they used to. But outs are outs, and as long as he keeps getting them, he has no plans to stop pitching."
What Comes Next? (Learning How to Finish)
The article’s final line is poetic: "Kimbrel spent a career proving he knows how to close. He is still learning how to finish."
- Closing = Getting the last 3 outs of a game you’re winning.
- Finishing = Deciding when and how to walk away from the game you love.
His Family’s Journey: His wife and two kids have lived the nomadic life with him (11 teams, 5 years). He notes his kids have developed great "people skills" from moving so much, and he’s "made a lot of new friends on all his various clubs."
The Hard Truth: When pressed on the pain of eventually retiring, Kimbrel admitted:
"I think (it is) any time anyone steps away from something they’ve done for so long… I don’t think they miss the grind of the game. I don’t think they miss what their body feels like sometimes. But they do miss the times with the guys. The trips, the comebacks, the excitement."
His Final Words: "We’ll see. Like, I said, I’m not there yet."
Summary
Craig Kimbrel, 38, is one of the greatest closers in baseball history (440 saves, 5th all-time). But since 2021, he’s bounced between 11 teams, been cut 6 times, and seen his fastball drop from 98 mph to 93 mph. His recent stats are poor (4.66 ERA), and his new pitches aren’t working well.
Yet he keeps playing because:
- Identity: Being a pitcher is who he is, not just what he does.
- Belief: He still thinks he can get outs (and the data gives him some hope).
- Opportunity: Teams keep calling (most recently the last-place Royals).
- Legacy: He may be chasing a stronger Hall of Fame case.
His first outing for the Royals was messy — hard-hit balls, luck, a miracle catch — but he got the job done. As he puts it: "Outs are outs." He knows the end is coming, but as long as someone hands him the ball, he’ll keep taking it. He mastered "closing" games years ago; now he’s figuring out how to "finish" his career.
FAQ
Why does a team like the Royals (who are terrible) sign a 38-year-old washed-up pitcher?
Because they’re desperate. They had 10 pitchers injured and needed someone to throw innings. Kimbrel is a known professional who shows up ready to work. He’s cheap (likely minimum salary) and low-risk. If he pitches badly, they cut him. If he gives them a few decent innings, it helps the other pitchers rest.
What does "DFA’d" mean? You mentioned it several times.
DFA = "Designated for Assignment." It’s the first step in removing a player from the 40-man roster. The team has 7 days to trade him, release him, or send him to the minors (if he clears "waivers" — meaning no other team claims him). It’s basically baseball’s version of "you’re fired, but we have to follow a process."
What’s Triple-A? Is it like the minor leagues?
Yes! Triple-A (AAA) is the highest level of the minor leagues — one step below the Major Leagues. Players there are either young prospects developing, or veterans like Kimbrel trying to get back to the big leagues. It’s very competitive, but the pay is much lower and the travel is harder (bus rides instead of charter flights).
Why are saves harder to get now than in Kimbrel’s prime?
Teams use pitchers differently now. In the 2010s, one "closer" pitched the 9th inning almost every night. Today, managers match pitchers to specific batters, use "openers," and spread the 9th inning among 2-3 relievers. This means fewer save opportunities for any single pitcher, making Kimbrel’s 440 saves even more impressive — and likely unbeatable.
What does "high-leverage" mean in the article?
High-leverage = a critical moment in the game. The article mentions Kimbrel entered a "high-leverage opportunity" — a 0-0 game in the 7th inning. Even though it wasn’t the 9th inning, the game was tight, and the outcome hinged on that moment. In his prime, Kimbrel almost only pitched in high-leverage spots (the 9th inning of close games). Now, he’s used wherever the team needs innings.