The New York Mets have been through enough mediocrity this season and were 9-19 at one point, but things have improved since then. So the Mets have decided to cut off anything that is holding them back, starting with Craig Kimbrel and his 6.00 ERA. That desperation also led to the latest call-up.

“Craig Krimbrel (Kimbrel) has been designated for assignment to make room for Jonah Tong,” reported Talkin’ Baseball after the news broke on socials.

The Mets are trying to survive one of their toughest stretches this season, and they are starting to feel the heat. The team has played 16 straight games without rest, and the pitching staff has clearly been breathing heavy. So they need reliable arms that they can do the job for the team. Kimbrel signed with the Mets for the 2026 season, looking to gain some momentum coming towards the end of his career. But nothing has gone his way.

With the Mets, Craig Kimbrel has pitched 15 innings with an ERA of 6. Even in his recent appearance against the Nationals on Wednesday, Kimbrel earned two runs in 2.2 innings. And looking at this, the move the Mets have made isn’t honestly surprising.

The Mets have used him in just 14 games, even when the team was going through a rough patch, and the bullpen was carrying a heavy load. This shows the Mets simply no longer trusted Kimbrel’s arm.

With the Mets looking like a better team than before and winning 12 of the last 19 games, every bullpen decision from now on is going to carry playoff implications. And with the trust in Kimbrel’s arm gone, it was the right time to trust in a young arm like Jonah Tong. Fans and the front office are rallying behind Jonah Tong because his elite minor-league strikeout numbers offer exactly the kind of upside the fatigued bullpen needs.

Jonah Tong’s 7.71 ERA in 5 MLB starts last year mirrors Kimbrel’s struggles. But that is a very short sample size, and his minor league numbers tell a totally different story.

At Triple-A Syracuse, Tong has struck out 55 batters in 38 innings with a 14.3% walk rate. And he has also bettered his pitching arsenal. SNY reporter Danny Abriano noted that Tong added a cutter and slider to his pitching, which already had a fastball and a changeup. Developing new pitches that go east-to-west helps Tong’s extreme over-the-top delivery and gives him a better chance to succeed in the majors.

Stats show he uses these new pitches about 20% of the time. That side-to-side movement keeps hitters guessing and fuels his massive strikeout numbers. The Mets understand development sometimes creates ugly stat lines, especially when pitchers experiment with new pitches against experienced Triple-A hitters. But they also believe Tong’s strikeout ability gives him a stronger chance of helping the Mets.

The question now for Craig Kimbrel is, what is next in his career?

What’s next for Craig Kimbrel after the Mets’ failure?

Craig Kimbrel is going to keep pitching as long as he keeps getting chances. But after Friday’s move from the Mets, those chances might be harder to come by. Kimbrel now carries a 6.00 ERA across 14 appearances, despite recording 10 scoreless outings. But things got bad very fast after he earned 4 runs against Arizona and 2 against the Nationals.

It is a stunning downfall for one of the greatest closers in baseball history. During his prime, Kimbrel was untouchable. He won the 2011 Rookie of the Year award with the Atlanta Braves while setting the rookie record with 46 saves. He won a World Series with the Boston Red Sox in 2018 and currently sits fifth on the all-time saves list with 440.

But that dominance is now gone. His inconsistency has become the biggest concern for teams looking at Kimbrel as a bullpen arm. Kimbrel will turn 38 next week, and with struggles to finish important innings, he might not find a team to pitch for. But some teams might need him.

The Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen ranks 27th in the league with an ERA of 4.98. Kimbrel could still provide the bullpen with some experience and stabilize in late-inning situations.

The Phillies’ bullpen has also struggled this season, carrying a 4.04 ERA despite having the goal of a deep postseason run. Kimbrel could have a good reunion with the Phillies, as he has proven he is comfortable there (3.62 ERA in 69 innings during his previous stint).

But if teams don’t come, retirement conversations are naturally going to become louder because his pitching is no longer that of an All-Star. The teams are also looking to promote top pitching prospects who could do a better job than Kimbrel. So right now, Kimbrel’s future is painfully unclear, and all we can do is wait and see what comes next.