There is no viable defense for how the Atlanta Braves front office treated franchise legend Craig Kimbrel earlier this season. Kimbrel leads the organization in career saves and has put together a truly incredible career. Atlanta brought the veteran reliever back, giving him a chance to start in the minor leagues and waiting far too long to make a decision.
When a move was finally made, Kimbrel was given one road appearance before being jettisoned from the roster. This was after working a scoreless inning despite showing some clear struggles.
It was as disrespectful a move as this Atlanta front office has made in its tenure. Not giving the reliever the ability to at least exit in front of his home fans speaks of a lost group of decision makers. For Kimbrel, it was a frustrating setback that forced the reliever to sign a minor league deal. One that the veteran has now escaped, thanks to the Houston Astros signing Kimbrel to the Major League roster.
Houston is looking to add to the back of the bullpen as it continues to piece together an impressive season. Despite losing key players in the 2025 offseason, the Astros remain the leaders in their division and are giving the reliever a chance to factor into a playoff race.
Braves' Disrespected Reliever Craig Kimbrel Finds New Landing Spot in Houston
It seems fitting that a playoff contender has more respect for Kimbrel than the team where the former closer got off to a historic start. This serves as a reminder of how badly Atlanta's front office has managed this season and how much blame continues to be earned by the team's decision-makers. There simply isn't a legitimate excuse for Kimbrel's forced exit or the handling of the situation.
Perhaps things might be different if the Braves had stocked the bullpen and had truly reliable options. However, no reasonable pundit is going to be able to keep a straight face and tell you that Connor Seabold or Dane Dunning are better options than even this version of Kimbrel. And yet both remain in Atlanta's pen and have been given a better chance than a franchise legend.
No question, Kimbrel's signing in Houston serves as a reminder of front office mistakes that should have the group squarely on the hot seat. There simply are no excuses for how the 2025 season continues to go, and this is perfectly illustrated by Kimbrel's new landing spot.