<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-ex-all-star-calls-out-frustrating-craig-kimbrel-decision');   ga('set', 'title', 'Ex-All-Star calls out Braves’ ‘frustrating’ Craig Kimbrel decision');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Braves-legend-Craig-Kimbrel.jpg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Ex-All-Star calls out Braves’ ‘frustrating’ Craig Kimbrel decision</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-11T08:25:00-07:00">June 11th, 8:25am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-11T08:25:00-07:00">June 11th, 8:25am</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He's one of the lead MLB editors but Quinn is a Swiss Army knife, writing about basketball, baseball, soccer, football, hockey, tennis, and more. Quinn is also a betting analyst for Covers, one of the biggest sports betting prediction websites in the world.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-craig-kimbrel-returns-2025-season">Atlanta Braves signed Craig Kimbrel</a> to a minor league deal late in spring training, and last week, they called him up to the big leagues. Kimbrel tossed a scoreless inning, but less than 24 hours later, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-atlanta-shocking-craig-kimbrel-move-stellar-return">he was designated for assignment.</a></p><p>It was a puzzling decision considering what he’s meant to this franchise and due to the fact that the Braves’ bullpen has been far from elite. Many were left scratching their heads, and that included a lot of players in the locker room in Triple-A Gwinnett, where Kimbrel was pitching before being promoted.</p><p>James McCann, who was Kimbrel’s teammate in Triple-A and with the Baltimore Orioles last season, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6417797/2025/06/11/baltimore-orioles-trade-deadline-mlb-notes/" rel="noopener">was not happy</a> with how the Braves handled the situation.</p><p>Via The Athletic:</p><p>“That really frustrated me and a lot of the guys in our locker room were very frustrated with it,” McCann said. “It was strange to call him up for a day and DFA him. He’s not just a run-of-the-mill reliever who became a journeyman after two or three years in the big leagues. He’s a future Hall of Famer.”</p><p>After all, Kimbrel did throw a scoreless inning:</p><p>“I’m not going to speak for Craig, but he was also on a cross-county flight that morning. Maybe he didn’t have his legs under him, I’m not sure,” McCann continued. “At the end of the day, he put up a zero. You can’t ask for much more than a zero when you take the mound.”</p><p>While Kimbrel may not be pumping fastballs in the high 90s anymore, he showed in that lone outing his ability to still be effective and get outs. The Braves have endured major issues late in games with their bullpen as well. Kimbrel showed that he could have been a valuable arm.</p><p>Not exactly the way to treat a franchise legend, but I suppose the Braves had their reasons. It’s just unclear what they are.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Ex-All-Star calls out Braves’ ‘frustrating’ Craig Kimbrel decision

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/texas-rangers/rangers-news-texas-craig-kimbrel-braves-release');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rangers land Craig Kimbrel after surprising Braves release');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Craig-Kimbrel_bffe1d.jpg"><figcaption>Tim Heitman-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rangers land Craig Kimbrel after surprising Braves release</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-10T15:21:47-07:00">June 10th, 3:21pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-10T15:21:47-07:00">June 10th, 3:21pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/rangers-rumors-bruce-bochy-likely-replacement-if-walks-away-after-season">Texas Rangers are struggling once again</a> this season, just like they did last year after winning the World Series in 2023, but they got a little bit better on Tuesday. The Rangers <a href="https://x.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1932553446332194853" rel="noopener">agreed to a minor-league deal</a> with veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel after he was shockingly let go from the Atlanta Braves earlier this month, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.</p><p>“Craig Kimbrel signing minor-league deal with Rangers, source tells @TheAthletic,” Rosenthal reported on X, formerly Twitter.  “Kimbrel elected free agency after the Braves designated him for assignment.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-atlanta-shocking-craig-kimbrel-move-stellar-return">Kimbrel was designated for assignment by the Braves</a> on Saturday after just one appearance with the team this season, but the longtime closer chose to become a free agent instead of heading down to the minors.</p><p>The 37-year old had a strong outing in his only appearance on the mound this season on Friday night, a 5-4 Atlanta loss to the San Francisco Giants in extra innings. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/braves-news-craig-kimbrel-shines-debut">Kimbrel pitched a shutout inning</a>, giving up one hit and one walk in the process before getting out of the jam. He will hope to bring the same escapability to the Rangers.</p><p>The nine-time All Star is well past his prime at this point, but he still has the ability to be a key piece of a rotation. For his career, Kimbrel has racked up 440 saves and has just a 2.59 ERA, so he knows how to get the job done on the mound.</p><p>His experience will be very valuable for a Rangers squad that is just 31-35 on the season and is currently sitting in fourth place in the AL West. Despite the struggles on the field this year, nobody has really run away with the division as Texas is just 5.5 games behind the Houston Astros in the top spot.</p><p>Kimbrel’s role and impact remains to be seen, as it appears that he will start out in the Minor Leagues for the Rangers. However, if Bruce Bochy and company need an extra arm, they know that they have one of the best closers of his generation waiting in the wings.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rangers land Craig Kimbrel after surprising Braves release

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-jose-ruiz-waiver-kimbrel-bullpen');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves’ bullpen shakeup continues with Jose Ruiz waiver claim amid Craig Kimbrel move');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jose-Ruiz.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves’ bullpen shakeup continues with Jose Ruiz waiver claim amid Craig Kimbrel move</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-07T12:04:01-07:00">June 7th, 12:04pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-07T12:06:46-07:00">June 7th, 12:06pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-aj-smith-shawver-injury-roster-move">Atlanta Braves made another bullpen move</a> Saturday, claiming right-handed reliever Jose Ruiz off waivers from the Philadelphia Phillies, as confirmed by David O’Brien of The Athletic in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, <a href="https://x.com/DOBrienATL/status/1931417215175479305" rel="noopener">confirming the news.</a></p><p>“#Braves claimed RHP José Ruiz off waivers from the Phillies”</p><p>The waiver claim comes just days after Craig Kimbrel was called up, pitched briefly, and then pulled back down — a surprising sequence for the veteran closer. The instability reflects the growing concern surrounding the Braves bullpen struggles, which hit a boiling point after Atlanta blew a six-run ninth-inning lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this week.</p><p>Ruiz, 30, had recently been designated for assignment by Philadelphia after posting a 5.93 ERA in limited action. For Atlanta, who currently sits 12 games behind the division-leading New York Mets and has lost four straight games, the move signals another attempt to patch up a faltering relief core.</p><p>The roster shuffle occurs amid mounting Brian Snitker criticism. The longtime manager has seen uncharacteristic errors from his club, and after a poor start, some fans have openly questioned his leadership for the first time in years.</p><p>As of Saturday, Atlanta has not announced a corresponding 26-man roster move. However, because the 40-man roster had only 39 players prior to the Ruiz claim, a 40-man adjustment will not be necessary.</p><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-shocking-craig-kimbrel-move-stellar-return"> Kimbrel Braves saga — bringing up the veteran</a> only to quickly reverse course — combined with declining late-game execution, paints a troubling picture for a team built to contend. With Braves bullpen struggles continuing and playoff hopes fading, Ruiz’s arrival is a gamble on a fresh arm and a reset in momentum.</p><p>The Braves will look to snap their skid Saturday afternoon in Game 2 of their series against the Giants at Oracle Park, following a walk-off loss in the opener where the Braves stranded the bases loaded in the 10th inning.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves’ bullpen shakeup continues with Jose Ruiz waiver claim amid Craig Kimbrel move

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-shocking-craig-kimbrel-move-stellar-return');   ga('set', 'title', 'Braves make shocking Craig Kimbrel move after stellar return');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Craig-Kimbrel-2.jpg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Braves make shocking Craig Kimbrel move after stellar return</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-07T09:11:30-07:00">June 7th, 9:11am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-07T09:28:59-07:00">June 7th, 9:28am</time><address><a>Preston Byers</a>Preston Byers is an experienced writer and journalist who currently serves as an associate editor for ClutchPoints and as a staff writer at The Vindicator and Tribune Chronicle, where he covers sports in the Mahoning Valley. Previously, Preston worked as an associate editor for Dot Esports and a site expert for FanSided's Union and Blue.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves<a href="https://x.com/BNightengale/status/1931378468492910790" rel="noopener"> have designated for assignment</a> <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/players/adfe09a0/craig-kimbrel">closer Craig Kimbrel</a>, whom the organization called up yesterday.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-craig-kimbrel-shines-debut">Kimbrel, 37, appeared in Atlanta’s 5-4 loss</a> to the San Francisco Giants, pitching one inning, during which he allowed one hit, one walk, and struck out one batter. He came into the game during the seventh inning with the Braves tied with San Francisco 4-4.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-atlanta-makes-craig-kimbrel-decision-after-collapse">veteran closer was called up a day after the Braves</a> suffered a late-game collapse against the Arizona Diamondbacks in which Atlanta blew a 10-4 lead in the top of the ninth inning to lose 11-10.</p><p>Kimbrel has been trying to find his footing ever since, as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies, losing back-to-back games in the NLCS in 2023. After the season, he signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Orioles, but he proved to be erratic. After 57 appearances in which he had a 5.33 ERA and 5.3 BB9, Kimbrel was DFA’d by the Orioles in September, about a week before he was released.</p><p>In March, Kimbrel signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta, which drafted him in the 33rd round in 2007 and again in 2008 in the third round. He spent his first several years with the Braves organization before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 2015. Since then, he has played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Phillies, and Orioles.</p><p>A one-time World Series champion, Kimbrel has been named an All-Star nine times and led the National League in saves four times (2011 to 2014).</p><p>The Braves, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-kimbrel-return-bullpen-collapse">who responded to the collapse vs. Arizona with a slew of roster moves</a> in addition to Kimbrel’s call-up, are 27-35 on the season. Atlanta has lost five straight, which includes a three-game sweep by the Diamondbacks, as well as losses to the Red Sox and Giants.</p><p>First pitch for the second game of Atlanta and San Francisco’s weekend series is set for 4:05 p.m. ET today.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Braves make shocking Craig Kimbrel move after stellar return

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-craig-kimbrel-shines-debut');   ga('set', 'title', 'Craig Kimbrel shines in Braves debut');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Craig-Kimbrel.jpg"></figure><h1>Craig Kimbrel shines in Braves debut</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-06T23:53:26-07:00">June 6th, 11:53pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-07T00:09:06-07:00">June 7th, 12:09am</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Atlanta Braves</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Atlanta Braves suffered an epic <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/arizona-diamondbacks/diamondbacks-news-arizona-stuns-braves-with-ninth-inning-comeback">collapse against the Arizona Diamondbacks</a> on Thursday. After blowing a six-run lead in the ninth inning, the Braves decided to make some changes to the bullpen, calling up Craig Kimbrel.</p><p>The veteran reliever didn’t have to wait long for his first opportunity with the team. The Braves sent Kimbrel out to pitch the seventh inning of a 4-4 game against the San Francisco Giants Friday. And the <a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1931205884941602868" rel="noopener">results were promising</a>.</p><p>Kimbrell got through the outing without giving up a run and closed the inning by striking out Wilmer Flores on a 92 mph four-seamer, per MLB on X.</p><h2><b>Craig Kimbrel joins the Braves’ bullpen</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Craig-Kimbrel-2.jpg"><figcaption>Robert Edwards-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>While it was a solid debut for the 15th-year veteran, he didn’t exactly “shine.” Kimbrel gave up a single and a walk but one runner was caught stealing and the other was picked off of first base. So, ultimately, Kimbrel only retired one batter in the inning. Still, all three outs counts. And it’s actually an improvement over what the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-brian-snitker-sounds-off-bullpen-woes-trade-buzz">Braves are used to amid bullpen woes</a> this season.</p><p>Atlanta <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-craig-kimbrel-returns-2025-season">signed Kimbrel to a minor league deal</a> this offseason. It’s the nine-time All-Star’s second stint with the team. He debuted with the Braves in 2010 and spent the first five seasons of his career in Atlanta.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-kimbrel-return-bullpen-collapse">Braves needed a roster shakeup</a> after their meltdown against the Diamondbacks. The team designated reliever Scott Blewett for assignment after his awful outing against Arizona and Kimbrel got called up to the big league club.</p><p>Despite the somewhat promising outing, Atlanta managed to find a new and exciting way to lose. The teams were locked in a 4-4 tie until the bottom of the 10th inning when Braves reliever Pierce Johnson threw a wild pitch with a runner at third base, giving the Giants the walk-off win.</p><p>Atlanta has now lost five straight games and 12 of the last 15. The Braves fell to 27-34 on the season. They’re 11.5 games behind the first-place New York Mets in the NL East.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
3	0	2	1	0	0

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
3	0	2	1	0	0

Craig Kimbrel

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Braves make shocking Craig Kimbrel move after stellar return

Craig Kimbrel shines in Braves debut

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