25 Craig Kimbrel stats Red Sox fans need to know
The Dombrowski Era opens with a closer.
The Boston Red Sox acquired one of the premier closers in baseball on Friday: right-handed pitcher Craig Kimbrel. The San Diego Padres parted with the 27-year-old All-Star in exchange for four minor league players: outfielder Manuel Margot, infielders Javier Guerra and Carlos Asuaje, and left-handed pitcher Logan Allen.
With the acquisition of Kimbrel, who Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski described as being “in the prime of his career,’’ Junichi Tazawa will slot into the 7th- inning role. He will be followed by the Red Sox’ K-Team, with the 8th inning belonging to Koji Uehara and Kimbrel becoming the closer.
Kimbrel has been one of the best in the bullpen since his arrival in the bigs in 2010, here are 25 of his stats:
1. In his career, Kimbrel has earned 225 saves and blown only 25.
2. He has earned 30+ saves in each of the last five seasons.
3. Since 2011, Kimbrel has 224 saves, by far the leader in the category with Huston Street next at 166.
4. Of all relievers who have 50+ saves since 2011, Kimbrel has the lowest ERA at 1.70, next is Koji Uehara at 1.96.
5. Of all relievers who have 50+ saves since 2011, Koji has the lowest WHIP at 0.743, next is Kimbrel at 0.909.
6. Of all relievers who have 50+ saves since 2011, Aroldis Chapman leads with 527 strikeouts, next is Kimbrel at 523.
7. Kimbrel had a 2.58 ERA in 2015, the highest of his career. His WHIP of 1.045 was the highest of any season since his rookie season.
8. Kimbrel appeared in 61 games in 2015, finished 53, and threw 59.1 innings, all the fewest of any full season in his career.
9. Kimbrel allowed six homers in 2011-12, and then again in 2013-14, and six in 2015 by itself.
10. He has blown four saves in each of the last three seasons.
11. He was susceptible to extra-base hits last season. He allowed six homers, six doubles, and one triple. The 13 XBH accounted for about one-third of the 40 hits he allowed all season.
12. Kimbrel had a .185 batting average against last season, the highest of his career. It was up from .142 in 2014.
13. Kimbrel averaged 94.1 mph per pitch last season, the highest of his career. He hit 99.8 mph for a high point in 2015.
14. Kimbrel allowed 29 fly balls last season, the fewest for him in any full season, but he permitted 39 line drives, the most of his career.
15. In his career, Kimbrel has held lefties to a .166 BAA and righties to a .150 BAA.
16. In his career, in save situations, Kimbrel has a 1.49 ERA. When he’s earned the save, his ERA is 0.40.
17. He has recorded 190 strikeouts with no outs, 188 K’s with one out, and 185 whiffs with two outs.
18. He has a .163 BAA when the bases are empty, a .151 BAA with men on base, .149 with runners in scoring position, and .133 with RISP and two outs.
19. He has never allowed a grand slam.
20. When he pitches having pitched the day before, batters only hit .158 against him.
21. Kimbrel averaged 97.4 mph on his fastball before the All-Star Game and 97.1 after the break last season.
22. Over the last three seasons, Kimbrel has thrown 2,193 fastballs, 599 curves, and 293 sliders.
23. Against the American League, Kimbrel has held batters to a .143 batting average, 1.44 ERA and a 0.916 WHIP.
24. Kimbrel hasn’t pitched against the rest of the AL East teams since 2013, but overall he has appeared in 12 games, earned eight saves and has an ERA of 0.00. In 13 innings, he has struck out 20 batters and walked just one.
25. Kimbrel has only pitched twice at Fenway, facing seven batters, walking two, striking out and allowing one hit and one unearned run which led to a loss.
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