Craig Kimbrel: A Baseball Reference

Craig Kimbrel is a right-handed relief pitcher who has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves San Diego Padres Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers

Who is Craig Kimbrel?

Craig Kimbrel is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Atlanta Braves San Diego Padres Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs Kimbrel was drafted by the Braves in the third round of the 2007 MLB Draft out of Wallace State Community College He made his MLB debut in 2010, and finished second in National League (NL) Rookie of the Year voting that season. He was selected for the NL All-Star team four times, and he led the NL in saves three times. With Boston, he helped lead them to a World Series victory in 2018.

Early life and career

Kimbrel was born in Huntsville, Alabama, on May 28, 1988. He played baseball and football in High School Kimbrel was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2007 MLB draft He made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2010. Kimbrel was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2015. He signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2019.

Kimbrel’s time with the Braves

Kimbrel was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2007 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut with the Braves on May 7, 2010. Kimbrel was named the National League Rookie of the Year in 2011 after posting a 9-2 record with 46 saves and a 2.10 ERA. Kimbrel continued to be one of the Braves’ most reliable Relief pitchers over the next few years, helping them reach the playoffs in 2010, 2012, and 2013.

Kimbrel was traded to the San Diego Padres during the 2015 season and helped them reach the playoffs that year as well. Kimbrel spent two more seasons with the Padres before being traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2018. Kimbrel struggled during his time with the Cubs, but he was still able to help them win the 2019 World Series

Kimbrel’s time with the Padres

Craig Kimbrel was traded to the Padres in 2015, where he spent three seasons. In his time with the Padres, Kimbrel was an All-Star twice and led the league in saves once. He was also named to the NL Principal’s Team in 2016.

Kimbrel’s time with the Red Sox

Craig Kimbrel was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 3rd round of the 2008 MLB Draft out of Wallace State Community College in Alabama. He made his MLB debut with the Braves in 2010, and he quickly became one of the best closers in baseball. In 2011, he had a breakout season, finishing with a 2.10 ERA, 46 saves, and 127 strikeouts in 77 innings pitched He was named to his first All-Star team and finished 5th in NL Cy Young voting.

Kimbrel continued to be one of the best closers in baseball over the next few years, but he struggled a bit in 2014 and 2015. He was traded to the San Diego Padres midway through the 2015 season, and he bounced back with a great 2016 season. He was then traded to the Red Sox prior to the 2017 season.

Kimbrel had another great season with the Red Sox in 2017, finishing with a 1.43 ERA, 35 saves, and126 strikeouts in 69 innings pitched. He was once again named to the All-Star team, and he finished 4th in AL Cy Young voting.

Kimbrel had another solid season for the Red Sox in 2018, but he struggled a bit during the playoffs. The Red Sox went on to win the World Series but Kimbrel blew a save in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros He then struggled again in Game 5, giving up 2 runs in just 1/3 of an inning pitched. The Red Sox were able to come back and win that game 9-8 in 10 innings, but it was a rough outing for Kimbrel nonetheless.

Kimbrel is currently a free agent but it’s possible that he could return to Boston for 2019 and beyond.

Kimbrel’s time with the Cubs

Craig Kimbrel debuted for the Cubs on June 27, 2019. In his first year with the team Kimbrel posted a 2-3 record with a 2.44 ERA and 83 strikeouts in62.1 innings pitched. Kimbrel was an important part of the Cubs bullpen, appearing in 58 games and pitching to a 1.00 WHIP.

Kimbrel’s time with the Brewers

Kimbrel was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 2007 MLB Draft and made his MLB debut in 2010. He was selected for the All-Star team in 2011 and 2012. Kimbrel was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2015. In 2016, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox Kimbrel helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series He became a Free Agent after the 2019 season. In 2020, Kimbrel signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs

Kimbrel’s time with the Nationals

Kimbrel began his professional career with the Atlanta Braves with whom he played for seven seasons. He was then traded to the San Diego Padres where he spent one season. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox in 2016, and he played for them for three seasons. He became a free agent after the 2019 season, and he signed with the Chicago Cubs Kimbrel had a similar experience with the Cubs, appearing in only 16 games before becoming a Free Agent again after the 2020 season. He then signed with the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2021 season.

Kimbrel’s return to the Braves

After a brief stint with the Cubs, Craig Kimbrel is returning to the Braves. Kimbrel was a key member of the Braves’ bullpen from 2010 to 2014, before being traded to the Padres. He then spent two seasons with the Red Sox winning a World Series in 2018.

Kimbrel is one of the best closers in baseball, and his return to the Braves will bolster their bullpen. In his career, Kimbrel has an ERA+ of 205, meaning he’s been 55% better than the average pitcher. He’s also struck out more than 33% of the batters he’s faced.

The Braves are currently in first place in the NL East, and with Kimbrel back in the fold, they look poised to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Craig Kimbrel’s legacy

Craig Kimbrel is one of the most dominant relief pitchers in baseball history A seven-time All-Star, he has led the league in saves five times and is the all-time leader in saves percentage among pitchers with at least 500 appearances. He is also one of only five pitchers to record four seasons with 40 or more saves.

Kimbrel’s career 2.08 ERA is the lowest among active pitchers and ranks sixth all-time among pitchers with at least 700 innings pitched. His 0.92 WHIP is the third lowest among active pitchers and his 15.8 strikeouts per nine innings pitched is the highest mark in baseball history

In 2011, Kimbrel became just the second pitcher in baseball history to record at least 46 saves and strike out more than 100 batters in a season. The other pitcher to do so was Mariano Rivera

Kimbrel has been one of the most dominant closers in baseball since he made his debut in 2010. He has recorded at least 30 saves in eight of his nine seasons, including a career-high 47 in 2014. His 402 career appearances are the most by any pitcher since he made his debut in 2010.