The Tampa Bay Rays and reliever Craig Kimbrel agreed to a major-league contract, the club announced Tuesday.
Kimbrel signed with the New York Mets in January, but he elected to become a free agent after the team designated him for assignment last week.
He struggled during his brief stint with the Mets, recording a 6.00 ERA across 15 innings. He surrendered 16 hits, 10 earned runs, and six walks, though he did still strike out 15.
Kimbrel turns 38 on May 28 and owns a career 2.65 ERA with 440 saves, fifth most in MLB history. He's a nine-time All-Star, most recently in 2023 as a member of the Philadelphia Phillies.
Tampa Bay placed right-hander Jesse Scholtens on the 15-day injured list with a wrist strain to make room for Kimbrel on the active roster.
The 34-17 Rays are first in the AL East with a 3.5-game lead on the New York Yankees entering play Tuesday.
