Former Red Sox All-Star Designated For Assignment One Day After Season Debut
His new team must not have liked what they saw on Friday
Aformer Boston Red Sox star may quickly restart his search for a new team.
After signing him to a minor league contract in March, the Atlanta Braves promoted Craig Kimbrel on Thursday. The nine-time All-Star closer made his 2025 debut on Friday night, pitching in a Braves uniform for the first time in 11 years.
Atlanta apparently wasn’t impressed. On Saturday, the Braves designated Kimbrel for assignment. In a corresponding move, Atlanta recalled left-handed relief pitcher Austin Cox.
The abrupt transaction is even more jarring considering Kimbrel made a relatively triumphant return Friday night. Replacing starter Spencer Schwellenbach in the seventh inning of a 4-4 game, Kimbrel pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout.
However, Kimbrel didn’t take the conventional path to a goose egg. San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos was caught stealing after hitting a leadoff single. Kimbrel then walked Jung Hoo Lee before picking him off at first base.
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While Kimbrel struck out Wilmer Flores to end the inning, the 37-year-old threw just six strikes in 14 pitches. He garnered one swinging strike and two called strikes while throwing his fastball at a concerningly low average velocity of 91.6 mph.
For comparison, Kimbrel’s heater averaged 97.1 mph when he last pitched for the Red Sox in 2018