Mets Predicted to Cut Ties with $2.5 Million World Series Champion, Nine-Time All-Star Closer

Devin Williams-led bullpen leaves no room for veteran Craig Kimbrel on Mets' roster.

Feb. 23, 2026 at 6:23pm

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The New York Mets are expected to part ways with veteran closer Craig Kimbrel before the end of Spring Training, according to a report from Fansided's Zachary Rotman. Kimbrel, a nine-time All-Star who won the World Series with the Mets in 2024, is on a minor league deal with the team but faces an uphill battle to make the Opening Day roster due to the Mets' crowded bullpen led by Devin Williams.

Why it matters

Kimbrel is a future Hall of Famer who has been one of the most dominant closers in MLB over the past decade, but his recent decline in performance and the Mets' desire to build around younger talent like Williams could lead to the team cutting ties with the veteran reliever.

The details

Rotman cites Kimbrel's minor league contract, the Mets' plan to carry a six-man starting rotation, and the team's need to protect its 40-man roster as factors working against the 34-year-old making the big league club. While Kimbrel had a solid 2.25 ERA in 14 games last season, his 5.33 ERA and 1.357 WHIP in 2024 raise concerns about his ability to be an effective late-inning option for the Mets in 2026.

  • The Mets will make their final roster decisions by the end of Spring Training in late March.

The players

Craig Kimbrel

A nine-time MLB All-Star closer who won the World Series with the Mets in 2024, but is now on a minor league deal and facing an uphill battle to make the team's 2026 Opening Day roster.

Devin Williams

The Mets' rising star reliever who is expected to anchor their bullpen in 2026, leaving little room for the veteran Kimbrel.

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What they’re saying

“There are several things going against Kimbrel, though. First and foremost, he's on a Minor League deal. This means that to roster him, the Mets would have to think he's one of the seven or eight best relievers in their organization and also DFA someone on their 40-man roster to make room for him. What are the odds that both of these things come to fruition? Second, the Mets are likely to run with a six-man rotation, giving them only seven slots for relievers...It'd be a fun story to see the Mets roster Kimbrel, especially after he tormented them for years with the rival Atlanta Braves, but it's hard to envision it happening without injuries.”

— Zachary Rotman, Fansided Writer

What’s next

The Mets will make their final roster decisions by the end of Spring Training in late March, at which point it will be clear if Kimbrel has made the team's Opening Day roster or if the team has decided to part ways with the veteran reliever.

The takeaway

This move highlights the Mets' desire to build their bullpen around younger, high-upside arms like Devin Williams, even if it means parting ways with a future Hall of Famer like Craig Kimbrel who has been one of the game's most dominant closers over the past decade.