The Cubs officially recalled Kimbrel from Triple-A Iowa prior to Thursday's game against the Braves.
Kimbrel's long-awaited 2019 debut is finally on tap after the star closer completed a four-appearance conditioning stint in Iowa shortly after signing with the Cubs earlier this month. Given his track record in the ninth inning in addition to his three-year, $43 million contract, Kimbrel is expected to immediately settle in as Chicago's closer. The 31-year-old saw his performance take a dip during his final season in Boston in 2018, but still turned in a stellar 2.74 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 96 strikeouts over 62.1 innings while converting 42 of 47 save chances.