Astros Sign Veteran Craig Kimbrel to Strengthen Bullpen

HOUSTON, Texas — The Houston Astros have signed veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel to a major league contract, aiming to bolster their struggling bullpen as they strive to maintain their lead in the American League West.

This announcement was made on Friday, alongside other team updates, including the reinstatement of right-hander Hunter Brown from the injured list. Left-handed pitcher Blake Taylor was placed on the injured list due to left elbow inflammation.

Kimbrel, 37, brings a wealth of experience to the Astros, making it the ninth major league team of his career. He had a brief stint with the Chicago White Sox earlier this season before being designated for assignment after pitching just one inning. Kimbrel spent the last two months with the White Sox’s Triple-A team, recording a 3.86 ERA and striking out 28 batters over 21 innings.

Over his impressive career, Kimbrel has earned a reputation as one of the elite relief pitchers, although he has bounced around various teams since 2021. The Astros are in desperate need of bullpen assistance following a shoulder injury that sidelined their closer, Ryan Pressly. Currently, Houston holds a narrow two-game lead in the AL West.

At the start of the season, the Astros’ bullpen ranked among the best in baseball with a 3.47 ERA. However, their performance has declined significantly since July 1, with the bullpen’s ERA rising to 4.69, reflecting a decrease in strikeout rates and an uptick in walks and home runs allowed.

Astros manager Joe Espada has leaned heavily on relievers including Hector Neris and Rafael Montero, with the team having five relief pitchers surpassing 50 innings pitched this season. Kimbrel is expected to offer a valuable late-inning option to relieve some of the pressure from an overworked bullpen.

Since signing with the White Sox in 2023, Kimbrel has recorded 68 saves in the major leagues and struck out 240 over 180⅓ innings. However, his 4.00 ERA this season is nearly double the 2.18 ERA he achieved during his first dozen seasons when he was considered one of the most formidable closers in the game.

Kimbrel’s fastball velocity has decreased from a peak of 98.3 mph in 2017 to an average of 92.8 mph in the minor leagues this season, while he continues to employ his signature knuckle curve and has added a new slider to his pitching arsenal.