Potential Hall of Fame Closer Signs with the Astros
Potential future Hall of Fame closer Craig Kimbrel has signed a Major League contract with the Houston Astros. Kimbrel will add to the bullpen and will likely see himself pitching later in games. While it is uncertain if he will be in the closer role for Houston, he will most certainly have the opportunity should he pitch to that level. Kimbrel was in the closer role for the Orioles in 2024 before being removed from that role after struggling, but the Astros hope to get him back to his prime form.
Kimbrel has had somewhat of a roller coaster of a career. As far as accolades go, he has racked up plenty. He has been an all-star in nine of the 15 seasons in his career, won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2011, finished top ten in Cy Young voting five times, and is a World Series champion. In the 2010s, Kimbrel was considered one of the best closers in the entire league. In 2019, his first year with the Chicago Cubs, he had an awful season. He posted a 6.53 ERA with a 1.597 WHIP in just 20.2 innings. He followed up with another bad year in 2020, but in 2021 seemed to get his groove back. He spent the first half of the season with the Cubs, posting a 0.49 ERA. However, he would get traded to the White Sox, where he put up a 5.09 ERA with Chicago. He then had a lot better year with the Dodgers in 2022 and again with the Phillies in 2023, posting sub-four ERAs in both years.
In 2024, Kimbrel had yet another rocky year. In the offseason, he signed a one-year contract for $12 million with Baltimore. He had a 5.33 ERA with a 1.357 WHIP and lost his closer role partially through the season. In September, the Orioles designated Kimbrel for assignment, and he would not pitch in the Majors again during the 2024 season. The Astros hope to get the old version of Kimbrel in 2025. If he were anything like he was in 2024, they would be vastly disappointed. However, with a track record like Kimbrel has, there is a very high chance he has the opportunity to be lights out.
