Astros Sign Kimbrel Amid Injury Struggles

BALTIMORE — Craig Kimbrel has joined the Houston Astros, who are battling a series of injuries this season. The nine-time All-Star closer summarized his arrival in the clubhouse as a significant opportunity to contribute.

“It’s a tremendous ballclub with a lot of talent, and they’ve just been battling injuries all year long,” Kimbrel said. “It seems like, from the outside looking in, if it’s not one guy, it’s another guy, and it’s been a trickle-down effect the whole year.”

To make room for Kimbrel, the Astros placed setup man Bennett Sousa on the injured list due to a low-grade flexor/pronator strain. Sousa suffered the injury after his last outing against Detroit on Tuesday.

Astros manager Joe Espada stated that Sousa would not throw for approximately two weeks and would be re-evaluated in early September. Sousa had been performing notably well, holding a 2.84 ERA and 1.026 WHIP over 50 2/3 innings.

In Sousa’s absence, Bryan Abreu is expected to step up as the closer, which leaves the team lacking experienced options in their bullpen as they deal with injuries to several key pitchers.

Kimbrel expressed eagerness about his new role, having last pitched in a major-league game on June 6. “It’s a great opportunity to go out there and pitch in some meaningful ballgames,” he stated.

Despite a drop in his fastball velocity, Astros officials believe both of Kimbrel’s breaking balls remain effective. He has shown resilience by adapting his pitching style over the years.

Espada expects Kimbrel to play an essential role in high-leverage situations and emphasized the urgency the team faces as they strive for postseason success.

“We ain’t got that much time,” Espada said. “He’s going in the game. He’s going to have to get some big innings. Those tryout days are over. It’s time to get big outs, and he’s someone that’s done it.”