Craig Kimbrel signs with Royals, his 12th MLB team

Craig Kimbrel is still finding takers. The Royals signed the veteran right-hander to a Major League deal and slotted him onto the active roster, giving the once-dominant closer his 12th organization in a 17-year career that's now deep into its twilight stretch.

Jon Heyman

@JonHeyman

Craig Kimbrel is signing with Royals. MLB deal.

The move broke Sunday night and was confirmed with more detail by MLB Trade Rumors, who framed it simply: C.K. to K.C.

MLB Trade Rumors

@mlbtraderumors

C.K. to K.C. --- the #Royals are set to be Craig Kimbrel's twelfth MLB team: t.co/vaMuJbzn37

Kimbrel's 2026 has been a nomadic mess. He started the year with the Mets, got designated for assignment, caught on with the Rays on a big league deal, and lasted less than a month there before Tampa Bay DFA'd him again to clear a roster spot for Freddy Peralta. According to Mark Feinsand, Kimbrel carries a 4.81 ERA across 33 appearances between the Mets and Rays this season, and he was let go by Tampa Bay last Monday.

Mark Feinsand

@Feinsand

The Royals have signed RHP Craig Kimbrel to a Major League contract and added him to the active roster. Kimbrel, who has a 4.81 ERA in 33 appearances this season with the Mets and Rays, was designated for assignment by Tampa Bay last Monday.

Context matters here: this isn't some replacement-level journeyman. Kimbrel is 5th all-time in MLB saves with 440 of them, a 9-time All-Star who spent over a decade as one of the nastiest closers in the sport with a fastball that used to sit 95-97 mph. That velocity has slipped under 94 this year, and the results have followed — but front offices keep betting that name recognition and swing-and-miss instincts still count for something in a pinch.

For Kansas City, this is a low-cost, low-risk flier on bullpen depth down the stretch. The Royals' relief corps has been shaky all year and they're clearly still auditioning arms, so adding a guy who's closed out playoff games before — even if he's a shell of that pitcher now — costs them almost nothing to find out.

Whether Kimbrel sticks in Kansas City longer than his stint in Tampa did is the real question. At 38, with diminished stuff and a track record of quick exits in 2026, this could easily be stop number 12 on the way to a 13th. But for now, the Royals get another arm, and Kimbrel gets another shot.