The New York Mets have officially selected the contract of veteran relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel from their Single-A affiliate in St. Lucie, as reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post. This move, which occurred on April 11, 2026, marks Kimbrel’s return to the major leagues and bolsters the Mets’ bullpen.
Kimbrel, a client of SportsMeter, will now earn $2.5 million following his addition to the active roster. He had initially signed a minor league contract in January, which included several opt-out clauses that he chose to forgo, including one before Opening Day.
Despite not making the Opening Day roster, Kimbrel agreed to remain in the minors, where he pitched a single inning for St. Lucie. His stint in Single-A was brief, featuring two strikeouts across two shutout innings, as noted by CBS Sports.
The Mets currently have two open spots on their 40-man roster. However, a corresponding transaction will be necessary to accommodate Kimbrel on the 26-man active roster. The team faced significant injury challenges in 2025, with 46 different players pitching throughout the season, leading to frequent bullpen rotations.
Among the current Mets pitchers with minor league options remaining are Huascar Brazoban and Tobias Myers. Myers recently pitched 36 pitches in a long relief appearance after starter Clay Holmes exited due to hamstring tightness. If Myers is not optioned down, Richard Lovelady could be a candidate for designation for assignment to create room for Kimbrel.
At 37 years old, Kimbrel’s primary role is unlikely to be that of a closer, especially with Devin Williams already on the roster. However, he is expected to contribute as an effective middle reliever, building on his 2.25 ERA across 12 innings for Houston and Atlanta last season.
