Former Phillies Pitcher Craig Kimbrel Signs MLB Deal with Houston Astros

Former Philadelphia Phillies closer Craig Kimbrel is back in the majors.

Craig Kimbrel Joins the Astros

Kimbrel’s Recent Struggles in Baltimore and Atlanta

Kimbrel appeared in one Major League game with the Braves this season, after spending the 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles.  With Baltimore, he had a rough season, posting a 5.33 ERA, 1.36 WHIP across 52 1/3 innings (57 appearances) last year for the Orioles.

A Look Back at Kimbrel’s Phillies Tenure

He spent one season in Philadelphia, saving 23 games in 71 appearances.  He had a 3.26 ERA and 1.043 WHIP, but struggled in the postseason, especially during the National League Championship round against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  In that series with the D-Backs, Kimbrel had an ERA of 12.00 and a WHIP of 3.00 in four games, taking the loss in two of those games.

The 37-year-old is sitting on 440 career saves, ranking fifth on the all-time Major League Baseball save list, 30 behind Kenley Jansen, who is still pitching with the Anaheim Angels this season with 23 saves.

1. Mariano Rivera - 652 saves
2. Trevor Hoffman - 601 saves
3. Lee Smith - 478 saves
4. Kenley Jansen - 470 saves