The Atlanta Braves’ management of Craig Kimbrel’s departure in the 2025 season was a major point of contention. Kimbrel, the franchise’s all-time saves leader, had been signed to a minor league contract with the expectation of him regaining his previous form. However, after just one road appearance, the Braves cut ties with the veteran, a decision widely viewed as poorly handled. Kimbrel arguably deserved more opportunities within an underperforming bullpen, or at minimum, a final appearance before his home fans.
Subsequently, Kimbrel joined the Houston Astros, where he performed well, allowing only three earned runs over 13 games. A year on, Kimbrel continues to demonstrate his pitching prowess, having delivered two scoreless outings for the New York Mets. Seeing the former Brave thrive elsewhere only intensifies frustration with the Braves’ front office, highlighting their mishandling of the situation.
Despite the Atlanta bullpen’s strong start to the 2026 season, it’s plausible to suggest Kimbrel could have occupied one of the last two roster spots. Joel Payamps, for instance, struggled, and Kimbrel could have easily taken his place. Although Payamps has not been on a roster since last season, the way the situation was managed remains a source of discontent.
Atlanta Braves Still Feeling the Repercussions of Craig Kimbrel’s Mismanagement
To be fair, the Braves’ front office has seen more successes than failures recently, with Raisel Iglesias, Dominic Smith, and Mauricio Dubon being notable offseason acquisitions. Nevertheless, this doesn’t diminish the irritation of witnessing Kimbrel perform effectively for a bitter rival.
The Braves could have retained his valuable contributions a year ago, providing their youthful bullpen with an experienced veteran’s presence. Even in the current 2026 season, given the team’s numerous early-season injuries, securing Kimbrel for one of the last bullpen slots would have been a logical decision.
It is gratifying to see Kimbrel regain his impressive form, even if it is now with the Mets. The closer held immense significance for his former team and was recognized as one of baseball’s most dominant closers. While his peak years might be past, the veteran has successfully reinvented his pitching approach and consistently finds ways to be effective.
His current contributions to a rival, rather than his original team, must be attributed directly to a front office that showed a lack of respect for the veteran last season and squandered the chance to secure his cost-effective performance.
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