SAN FRANCISCO -- Ten years later, Craig Kimbrel still holds the Braves' franchise record for saves. But he can now make what could be considered his most influential save.
“Whatever the circumstances are, it’s just great to be back to help this ballclub, throw up some zeroes and just enjoy it,” Kimbrel said Friday afternoon as he prepared for his first game as a Brave since he was traded to the Padres on the eve of the 2015 season.
The circumstances became more dire on Thursday, when the Braves blew a six-run ninth-inning lead to the D-backs and lost for the 11th time in their past 14 games. The ugly loss prompted the promotion of Kimbrel, whose scoreless seventh inning wasn’t enough in a 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Giants on Friday night at Oracle Park.
“He kind of lucked out of it a little bit,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “I’m glad he got through it. It was good to get him out there for the first time.”
Kimbrel’s return appearance was more sentimental than impressive. Dangling his right arm like he did while compiling 186 saves for the Braves from 2010-14, the 37-year-old reliever ended the seventh with a strikeout. But he also used a caught stealing and pickoff to pitch around a single and a walk.
Kimbrel is long removed from those early years of his career when he was pumping 97-98 mph fastballs and striking out at least 40 percent of the batters he faced on an annual basis. He now relies on his sinker, which touched 92.8 mph and averaged 91.7 mph on Friday.
How bad are things going for the Braves? Well, after seeing journeyman Scott Blewett and struggling closer Raisel Iglesias implode during Thursday’s ninth-inning meltdown, they watched reliable starter Spencer Schwellenbach allow three runs in a first inning marred by two errors.
With Iglesias unavailable after throwing 20 pitches both of the previous two days, the Braves suffered their latest loss on a walk-off wild pitch as Pierce Johnson’s curveball eluded catcher Sean Murphy.
Snitker said Iglesias may still get some save opportunities, but won’t necessarily be the team’s primary closer. So who are among the candidates to close games?
Top setup man Daysbel Hernández’s candidacy ended Thursday, when an MRI showed right forearm inflammation. Dylan Lee and Johnson are among the top candidates. Could Kimbrel move back into that role that will conjure memories of “Welcome to the Jungle” blaring during his years of dominance at Turner Field?
“We’re just going to mix-and-match and see where the matchups are,” Snitker said. “We want to get a look at him. He said, ‘I’m good to go, whenever you want me to go.’”
Kimbrel signed a Minor League deal with the Braves near the end of Spring Training and he needed nearly six weeks to make all necessary preparations. He called Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos before the team played in Boston (May 16-18) to tell him he was ready to compete at the big league level.
But he didn’t get the call until Hernandez’s injury and Thursday’s collapse led to the bullpen overhaul.
“I wanted to be here a couple weeks ago, but I didn't let it bother me too much, because I still had work to do. … I knew at some point I was going to be throwing the ball, and I'm glad it's right now.”
Kimbrel’s first appearance for the Braves in more than a decade didn’t create confidence that he is going to be a reliable high-leverage weapon. But if the Huntsville, Alabama, native can at least provide the bullpen some quality depth, he’ll be doing whatever he can to help save a sinking season.
“I’ve got a lot of family members who are happy about me being back close to home,” Kimbrel said. “My grandmother watches every game. For me to be back in a Braves uniform and for her to see that is pretty cool.”