The Baltimore Orioles have secured a one-year deal with an option for the 2025 season for veteran closer Craig Kimbrel. Although the financial details were not disclosed officially, sources indicate that the agreement is valued at $13 million.
This move comes in response to the Orioles’ need for a closer, with All-Star Felix Bautista likely out for the entirety of the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, which placed him on the injured list in August.
General Manager Mike Elias expressed optimism about the arrangement, hinting at the possibility of a two-year commitment, stating, “I think both parties are entering this arrangement with the spirit of this potentially being a two-year thing. We’re optimistic about it. The plan is for him to be the closer.”
Craig Kimbrel, 35 years old, established himself as one of the premier closers in the 2010s, earning seven All-Star selections and accumulating 332 saves during his tenure with the Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, and Boston Red Sox from 2011 to 2018. Over those eight years, he boasted a remarkable 1.97 ERA, a 0.91 WHIP, and a staggering 14.6 strikeouts per nine innings, relying on his devastating fastball-curveball combination.
In the subsequent years, Kimbrel’s performance has seen a slight decline, as he has registered a 3.57 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and a 13.0 strikeout rate while playing for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Nevertheless, Kimbrel earned two more All-Star nods from 2019 to 2023, including the past season with the Phillies, where he recorded a 3.26 ERA, saved 23 games, and struck out 94 batters in 69 regular-season innings.
Despite his earlier dominance, Kimbrel’s 30s have not replicated the sheer dominance of his 20s. His final moments in Philadelphia were marred by blowing a two-run lead in the eighth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, leading to the Phillies’ unexpected elimination against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Orioles were the surprising standout of the previous season, clinching 101 wins in the American League. They secured the AL East title but faced a sweep by the Texas Rangers in the division series, a performance that defied preseason predictions anticipating a last-place finish in the division.