Craig Kimbrel still pitches at 38—but when will he stop?

Craig Kimbrel has not announced when he will retire. At 38, baseball's fifth all-time saves leader recently signed with the Kansas City Royals—his 12th team—after years of injuries, releases, and short stints. Asked if he contemplates quitting, Kimbrel said "yes and no": he still believes he can get outs, but adds, "I'm not there yet."

Key Takeaways

• Kimbrel ranks fifth in MLB history with 440 saves and recently joined the Kansas City Royals, his 12th franchise in 17 seasons.
• Since 2021, he has worn 14 uniforms across 11 teams, been designated for assignment six times, and posted a 4.66 ERA over the last three years.
• His 2025 Braves comeback ended after one road game before he was DFA'd, drawing criticism from former teammate Jonny Venters.
• Kimbrel says he is still pitching to prove he can save games and strengthen a borderline Hall of Fame case.
• Royals executive J.J. Picollo says if Kimbrel's heart is not telling him he is done, continuing is the right call.

Why is Craig Kimbrel still pitching at 38?

Days after throwing bullpen sessions in his barn and weeks removed from his second release of 2026, Kimbrel signed with Kansas City. The Royals bullpen was in tatters, with 10 pitchers on the injured list and playoff odds under 0.1 percent, per FanGraphs.

Scouting director Brian Bridges, who signed Kimbrel when Atlanta drafted him in 2008, helped bring him aboard. Kimbrel told The Athletic he keeps reviewing analytics and still sees usable grades. "I still love playing this game," he said. "I feel like I can still work. I can still get guys out."

What happened with Kimbrel's return to the Atlanta Braves?

Eleven years after recording his final save with Atlanta, Kimbrel rejoined the Braves organization last season. He spent two months in Triple-A before a single road call-up: three outs, one hit, one walk, then designation for assignment.

Former Braves reliever Jonny Venters called the handling disappointing. "I just wish he would have gotten a few more opportunities with them," Venters said, as Forbes also reported. "At least let him come home to Atlanta."

Five days later, Kimbrel signed with the Texas Rangers and pitched 24 games at Triple-A Round Rock.

When will Craig Kimbrel finally finish his career?

Kimbrel's peak was among the most dominant closer runs ever—four straight NL saves titles and seven All-Star nods in his first eight full seasons. His fastball averaged 98.3 mph in 2017; it now sits around 93.5 mph, with whiff rates falling from 42.7 percent to 25.1 percent.

He told reporters he is "still pitching to prove" he can close games. He trails only Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Kenley Jansen, and Lee Smith on the all-time saves list—a total modern closers may never surpass.

As teams lean on data-driven evaluation—a shift explored across our Future Tech & AI Wonders coverage—Kimbrel's identity remains tied to competing at the highest level. Pressed on retirement, he said stepping away would probably be "a lot more relaxing," though he would miss teammates and comeback moments. For now, he has no plans to stop. "We'll see," Kimbrel said. "Like I said, I'm not there yet."