Alex Avila shares thoughts on Craig Kimbrel's return to the Atlanta Braves

After a challenging 2024 MLB season, Alex Avila is back with the Atlanta Braves, where he began his career, marking a new chapter in his baseball journey. In an insightful conversation about the Braves' recent moves, Avila opened up on the team's decision to bring back former star pitcher Craig Kimbrel, who is looking for redemption after an uneven performance with the Baltimore Orioles.

Avila weighs in on Kimbrel’s return to Atlanta

During a recent episode of MLB Tonight, Alex Avila discussed the significance of Kimbrel's return to the Braves, expressing excitement over the opportunity it presents for both the pitcher and the team's fans. According to Avila, the move offers a chance for Kimbrel to "find redemption" and re-establish himself as a dominant force on the mound. He remarked:

I think it's awesome for him. I think it'll be great for Braves fans, too. But also, a chance for Kimbrel to kind of find redemption, too, a little bit. Last year, he did okay over the first half of the season with the Orioles, but then in July, started to have some hiccups and a couple of back-to-back blown saves, and ended up getting removed from that closer role.

Avila acknowledged the struggles Kimbrel faced in the 2024 season, but he believes the pitcher still has the potential to bounce back. For Avila, it's all about Kimbrel finding his groove and staying in the zone to return to his previous level of dominance.

Kimbrel’s path to redemption

Despite the setbacks Kimbrel encountered in 2024, Avila remains optimistic about his ability to improve. Avila pointed out that for Kimbrel, success will depend on staying focused and controlling his pitches within the strike zone. As Avila explained:

It’s just a matter of him being in the zone. That’s always been kind of his thing, like being able to command the ball in the zone, limit the walks, which in turn will help limit the damage, and trust that his stuff is still able to get guys to swing and miss in the zone.

A legendary career for Craig Kimbrel

Craig Kimbrel’s MLB journey began with the Atlanta Braves, who selected him in the 2008 MLB Draft. Kimbrel made his debut in 2010 and spent several successful seasons with the Braves before moving to the San Diego Padres in 2015. His career continued with notable stints with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox. After a trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022, Kimbrel finished the 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles.

Now, Kimbrel's return to Atlanta signals a fresh start and an opportunity to reclaim his status as one of the league's elite closers.