The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms with relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel, the American League team announced on Wednesday.

The right-hander leaves the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency for a contract that will pay him $13 million for the 2024 season, MLB.com reported. The contract includes a club option for the 2025 season at $15 million — or a $1 million buyout if the Orioles decline to retain Kimbrel.

Baltimore had one of the top closers in the big leagues last season as they won 101 games and the AL East. Felix Bautista posted an 8-2 record, 33 saves and a 1.48 earned-run average in 56 relief appearances for the Orioles in 2023. But Bautista had Tommy John surgery in October and isn’t expected to pitch in 2024.

In 2023 for the Phillies, Kimbrel had an 8-6 record, 23 saves and a 3.26 ERA in 71 relief appearances. In 69 innings, he struck out 94 batters. Kimbrel also saved three games in the playoffs for Philadelphia to bring his career postseason total to 10. But he was the losing pitcher in Games 3 and 4 of the NL Championship Series, which the Phillies dropped to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven games.

Kimbrel won the NL Rookie of the Year Award in 2011 and was The Sporting News NL Pitcher of the Year with the Atlanta Braves in 2013 and 2014 and the AL Pitcher of the Year with the Boston Red Sox in 2017.

Kimbrel was picked for the MLB All-Star Game in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 with the Braves, 2016, 2017 and 2018 with the Red Sox, 2021 with the Chicago Cubs and 2023 with the Phillies. Only two players with Alabama baseball roots have been chosen for more All-Star games than Kimbrel – Hank Aaron, who had 21 All-Star seasons, and Willie Mays, who had 20.

Kimbrel prepped at Lee-Huntsville, and he joined the Braves organization after being a third-round pick in the 2008 draft from Wallace State in Hanceville.

In his career, Kimbrel has a 49-42 record, 417 saves and a 2.40 ERA in 780 games – all in relief. In 757.1 innings, he has struck out 1,192 batters. His save total ranks eighth in MLB history.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.