Once upon a time, Craig Kimbrel stood on the mound like a warrior at the gates—untouchable, fiery, and feared.

His late-game dominance from 2010 through 2018 was akin to watching a hurricane in slow motion: awe-inspiring, destructive, and nearly impossible to stop.

But time, as it always does, has dulled the edges of even the sharpest blades.

Now 37, Kimbrel finds himself designated for assignment by the Atlanta Braves , the same team with whom he first rose to stardom.

It’s a stark contrast to the days when his fastball roared at 98 miles per hour and hitters flailed hopelessly at his knee-buckling curve.

Instead, the radar gun now reads 91–92, a speed that, while serviceable for some, is a siren song for a power pitcher in decline.

Yankees tempted by the name, not the performance

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