The Atlanta Braves suffered another tough loss on Tuesday, this time to the struggling Arizona Diamondbacks, as their season continues to spiral below .500 with the MLB trade deadline approaching. Big decisions loom, including whether to move on from players like Marcell Ozuna and his expiring contract. Despite numerous attempts to course-correct — from Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider’s return to hiring former manager Fredi González as third base coach — nothing has sparked a turnaround. Could veteran closer Craig Kimbrel be the next move?
Kimbrel, 37, was signed to a minor-league deal in March and currently sports a 1.54 ERA with Triple-A Gwinnett. Although he’s coming off a rough finish to last season with the Orioles, his experience and performance could be valuable for an Atlanta bullpen that has underperformed — especially with Raisel Iglesias struggling to a 5.64 ERA.
Craig Kimbrel
As Ken Rosenthal noted, Kimbrel’s deal includes a rolling opt-out clause: if another team offers him a big-league spot, the Braves must either promote him or let him walk. That could open the door for a team like the Philadelphia Phillies — a division rival with bullpen issues and one of the worst relief ERAs in the league at 4.67. With Jeff Hoffman underperforming and Jose Alvarado serving a PED suspension, Philly could swoop in.
If the Braves don’t act soon, they risk not only losing a potential bullpen upgrade but also watching a key veteran land with a direct rival — a move that could hurt their NL East hopes in more ways than one.