Guerreros de Oaxaca of the Mexican League announced that they have signed a right-hander. Joey Krebiel A contract has been signed for the 2026 season. Krebiel, 33 in December, pitched the 2025 season for the Rays and Royals’ Triple-A affiliates before deciding to become a minor league free agent in November.
Krebiel, a four-season MLB veteran, did not return to the majors until 2021 after making his big league debut in the form of a two-game cup of coffee with the Diamondbacks in 2018. Of his 70 career appearances and 74 innings, most of that accomplishment came in 2022. Krebiel had a 3.70 ERA, 18.4% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate in 56 games and 57 2/3 innings out of the Orioles bullpen. He only pitched in six games for Baltimore in 2023 (posting a 1.80 ERA in five innings), but the O’s shuttled him back and forth from Triple-A multiple times, twice designated Krehbiel for assignment, and dominated him all year.
This marked the final part of Krehbiel’s major league action, as his minor league contracts with the Mariners and Rays over the past two offseasons did not result in another call-up. The Royals also haven’t called up the right-hander since acquiring him from Tampa in a trade last July. Krebiel pitched quite well for Triple-A Tacoma in 2024, but struggled last year in Tampa and the KC farm system, posting a 5.34 ERA over 57 1/3 IP. Although that ERA was inflated by some bad batted ball luck, Krebiel’s 50% ground ball rate was offset by a .346 BABIP.
The right-hander will now look to get back on track with Guerrero in the new environment of Mexican league ball. Mexican league contracts typically lack clauses, so solid work early in the season could help Krehbiel attract interest from other MLB teams for another minor contract.
