The Tampa Bay Rays have acquired veteran right-handed pitcher Craig Kimbrel on a major league deal Tuesday as they look to improve their bullpen performance.
To create roster space for Kimbrel, the team moved right-hander Jesse Scholtens to the 15-day injured list due to a right wrist strain.
Kimbrel became available after the New York Mets released him Friday following a difficult stretch where the nine-time All-Star gave up 10 runs across 15 innings in 14 outings. The Mets had signed him as a free agent in January.
At 37 years old, Kimbrel brings extensive experience with 440 career saves across 10 different teams during his 17 seasons in professional baseball. His resume includes a World Series championship with Boston in 2018 and the 2011 National League rookie of the year award.
While the Rays currently hold the American League’s top record at 34-17, their bullpen has been a weak spot with a 4.40 earned run average that ranks 21st league-wide.
