Braves' bullpen panic move only lasts one game against the SF Giants

Ahead of their series with the Giants, which started last night, the Atlanta Braves made a move to bolster their bullpen, calling up none other than former franchise legend closer Craig Kimbrel. That proved to be a short-term fit, as Craig Kimbrel was designated for assignment on Saturday.

Braves' bullpen panic move only lasts one game against the SF Giants

While five years ago, this would have been a big deal, in 2025, it feels like more of a panic move than a smart baseball decision. Kimbrel is coming off the heels of a season in which he accumulated -1.1 bWAR, posted a 5.33 ERA, and blew six saves.

Kimbrel's 440 saves and nine all-star nods stand out among the best closers of all time, but it is clear the 37-year-old closer is past his prime. Still, the Braves felt they needed to add to their bullpen, after the squad allowed seven runs in the ninth inning against the Diamondbacks the game before.

Ultimately, the move was Kimbrel, who has posted a 2.45 ERA in 15 appearances at Triple-A Gwinnett this year.

Despite the move, the Braves' bullpen remained vulnerable, and the Giants pounced. In the tenth inning of a 4-4 game, Tyler Fitzgerald scored on a wild pitch to walk it off for San Francisco.

While it was not Kimbrel who allowed the winning run, last night's game goes to show that no matter how hard Atlanta tried, the Giants were going to find a way to grit it out and earn a victory. Kimbrel, to his credit, threw a scoreless inning when he entered the game in the seventh inning. Instead, it was Atlanta reliever Pierce Johnson whose wild pitch won the game for the Giants.

Against the Giants, Kimbrel holds a 2.55 ERA and a 5-1 record. However, the last time he faced the Giants, on September 17 of 2025, Kimbrel allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning. That was also his last game with the Baltimore Orioles, and the last game he pitched in the major leagues before last night.

The Giants would have been happy to see Kimbrel on the mound again. That will not occur during this series with the last move.