Watching Atlanta's 7-4 Opening Day loss was an undeniably frustrating loss. Despite starter Chris Sale not having his best stuff, the starter pieced together five solid innings and exited with Atlanta having the lead. The bullpen was only able to protect for an inning before falling into complete shambles. Hector Neris and Aaron Bummer both struggled, allowing the Padres to grab control they wouldn't relinquish.
The loss served as a reminder of how unproven this bullpen is and how wide-open it remains, serving as an opportunity for former closer Craig Kimbrel.
When the Braves signed the veteran, it was viewed as a feel-good reunion, but it was arguable whether or not Kimbrel would have a real role to play. Thursday's loss answered any doubts as to whether or not Atlanta is going to give their former closer a real chance at not only making the roster but becoming a pivotal arm out of the bullpen.
Braves' Desperation Will Give Craig Kimbrel His Second Chance in Atlanta
While the Braves await the return of Spencer Strider and continue to ease their starters into the regular season, the lack of bullpen depth is going to become more and more glaring. It is this lack of depth that is going to give Kimbrel a very real chance to make the roster as a real contributor.
Atlanta put in Neris and Bummer with a fully healthy bullpen in a one-run game. Is it wild to imagine Kimbrel is a potential upgrade in this scenario? The veteran was solid for the first half of the 2024 season before completely falling off a cliff. This was on the heels of a productive 2023 in a high-leverage role. There is reason to believe Kimbrel has something left in the tank and Atlanta's desperation is going to allow Kimbrel the chance to find out.
Craig Kimbrel broke into the league in the 2010 season behind veteran closer Bill Wagner. It didn't take long for the reliever to become one of the most dominating closers in franchise history. The veteran remains Atlanta's all-time saves leader with 186. While paying Kimbrel didn't fit Atlanta's rebuild, trading the veteran away remains one of the more painful decisions in recent franchise history.
Now a journeyman reliever, Kimbrel has a chance to return and write a very different final chapter in Atlanta. This isn't the teams of the early 2010s that Kimbrel left behind. If they can find reliable bullpen arms and piece together the final spot in the rotation, this is one of the few teams that has a prayer of matching up with the Dodgers in the National League.
Kimbrel doesn't need to recapture the greatness of his first chapter but simply find a way to be a reliable option in the middle innings. That is more than enough to help stabilize the bullpen and feel far better about Atlanta's chances moving forward.