The Tampa Bay Rays will have to wait a little longer before they can send veteran reliever Craig Kimbrel back to the mound.
After just one appearance with Tampa Bay, Kimbrel was placed by the Rays on the 15-day injured list on Sunday due to a right wrist strain, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Kimbrel started the 2026 MLB season with the New York Mets. He was designated for assignment by New York last week before he elected to become a free agent. The Rays then signed Kimbrel on Tuesday, the same day he made his debut for Tampa Bay in a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md.
The nine-time All-Star looked solid in his first appearance in a Rays uniform, pitching a scoreless inning and allowing just a hit with 2 strikeouts, albeit in a 6-1 loss to the Orioles. However, he dealt with soreness in his right wrist after playing catch on Friday, leading to his eventual trip to the injured list.
In a corresponding move, the Rays recalled right-hander Trevor Martin after sending him to Triple-A on Wednesday.
Kimbrel, who won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018, has quite a journey in the big leagues, as he’s now seen action for 11 clubs, dating back to 2010 when he made his MLB debut with the Atlanta Braves.
