Philadelphia Phillies fans had plenty to be upset about earlier in the season before new managerDon Mattingly turned everything around. But even amid that April depression for Philly, the New York Mets were always there as a convenient punching bag to ridicule, making everything feel okay.
Yes, Phillies Nation loves watching the Mets struggle, which is precisely why every Philadelphia fan grinned when nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel reliever signed with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. That was after he was DFA'd by the Mets to make room for Jonah Tong on the active roster. Phillies fans know that Kimbrel is about to thrive with the "devil magic" 2026 Rays, and shove Mets fans into further self-hatred.
If you haven't been tuning into much American League action this year, you may not realize that the Rays are playing unbelievable baseball under manager Kevin Cash. He's figured out a way to maximize every player at his disposal, even seemingly over-the-hill pitchers.
Craig Kimbrel looked filthy in his Rays debut.
— Jake (@TBRaysCentral) May 27, 2026
Sat mid 90s with the fastball and had some nice breakers. pic.twitter.com/430EAZrRoi
Just ask 35-year-old journeyman right-hander Nick Martinez, who has never been an All-Star (and also spent multiple seasons in Japan) but is looking like a superstar arm in 2026. He has a 4-1 record, 1.51 ERA, and a team-leading 2.7 WAR in 10 starts this season for the Rays.
Phillies fans are well-acquainted with former Mets pitcher Craig Kimbrel
Kimbrel is entering the Kevin Cash Factory that Martinez and others have benefited from, so you might as well ignore whatever Kimbrel did (or didn't do) for the Mets this season. For what it's worth, he wasn't good: 0-2 with a 6.00 ERA in 14 appearances.
Kimbrel, a four-time National League saves leader, spent the 2023 season in a Phillies uniform (he signed a one-year, $10 million deal in January 2023). His numbers in Philadelphia were modest with a 3.26 ERA over 71 games, but he won NL Reliever of the Month in June of that season and gave the Phillies a number of quality innings.
The postseason wasn't as kind to Kimbrel, however. He took losses in Games 3 and 4 of the NLCS that year against the Arizona Diamondbacks, leaving Phillies fans with a bitter taste in their mouths in regards to his overall legacy with the franchise. Despite that, it would be hilarious to see Kimbrel dominate in a Rays uniform this summer and have Mets fans clenching their fists yet again.
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