MLB Rumors: Craig Kimbrel Expected To Be Activated By Cubs On Thursday

He’s back. Well, almost.

Craig Kimbrel is expected to join the Cubs on Thursday, according to The Chicago Sun-Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer. The 31-year-old righty has made three appearances with Triple-A Iowa since signing a three-year, $43 million contract with Chicago earlier this month.

And now it appears the time finally has come for the right-hander to join the big-league club. Cubs manager Joe Maddon appeared to confirm that Wednesday afternoon.

“He’s on his way right now. We’ll be more precise later,” he said, according to Kelly Crull of NBC Sports Chicago. “Yes, it’s getting close. We’ll wrap it up and give you everything soon.”

Kimbrel hasn’t thrown in a Major League Baseball game since the Boston Red Sox’s 2018 World Series run in October.