SAN FRANCISCO — The Atlanta Braves called up franchise career saves leader Craig Kimbrel from the minor leagues a day after having their worst blown ninth-inning lead in more than a half-century.
The Braves selected Kimbrel from Triple-A Gwinnett and recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd before opening a three-game series against the host San Francisco Giants on Friday night.
Atlanta placed right-hander Daysbel Hernández on the 15-day injured list with right forearm inflammation, retroactive to Thursday, and traded right-hander Scott Blewett to the Baltimore Orioles for cash considerations to make room on the roster.
“It feels good,” said Kimbrel, a 37-year-old right-hander from Birmingham, Alabama. “I’ve been working hard for the last couple of months to get back here. Whatever the circumstances are, it’s great to be back to come and help this ballclub, throw up some zeroes and do my job.”
Later in the evening, Kimbrel came on in the seventh inning for Atlanta on his first day back. He allowed a leadoff single to Heliot Ramos, but then got bailed out when Sean Murphy threw out Ramos trying to steal second. Kimbrel walked Jung Hoo Lee, but he picked him off first and struck out Wilmer Flores to get out of the inning.