Red Sox: Craig Kimbrel Has Reemerged as the Best Closer in Baseball

Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel had strayed slightly from the “best closer in baseball” conversation. In 2017, however, he’s back and worthy of the honor.

It was only a few seasons ago when Craig Kimbrel was widely regarded as the best closer in MLB. Between 2011-2014 with the Atlanta Braves, Kimbrel accumulated 185 saves, averaging 46 per season. He pioneered the dominance of a triple-digit fastball, sporting what was one of the most unhittable pitches in the game. It’s no coincidence that we see so many fireballers approaching the mound in the 9th inning in today’s game.

Kimbrel appeared to be the next reliever who would threaten the records set by the greats. It seemed the baton was passed from the legend, Mariano Rivera, to the future legend, Craig Kimbrel.

For whatever reason, Kimbrel’s numbers declined after joining the San Diego Padres in the 2015 season. The lesser dominance can be attributed to a number of things–the Padres’ inability to stay in ballgames would be atop the list. However, Kimbrel’s save count wasn’t the only statistic that took a hit in San Diego. His ERA raised nearly a point, he allowed more hits/nine innings than any other point in his career, and his WHIP exceeded 1.000 for the first time since 2011. Obviously, most pitchers would still trade their numbers for Kimbrel’s, even in a down year. Nevertheless, Craig Kimbrel is held to a much higher standard.

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Kimbrel transferred his San Diego performance to his first season with the Boston Red Sox. In fact, 2016 was his worst season to date, as he recorded a career low 31 saves in his inaugural season with the Sox. Kimbrel still filled a void for a contending Red Sox team. Boston was missing a lockdown closer since Jonathan Papelbon fled. A below par season (Kimbrel standards) for Kimbrel left zero doubt that he was still the man for the job.

Fast forward to June 10, 2017, Craig Kimbrel has suddenly become the talk of baseball once again. Not to take any credit from Colorado Rockies’ closer Greg Holland, who leads MLB in saves, but Kimbrel has been the most dominant showstopper this season.

Kimbrel’s 0.98 ERA ranks fourth in the American League among relievers. Opposing batters are a hitting an encouraging .086 against him. One home run has been given up by Kimbrel and his 55 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched leads the league. His 18 saves ranks second in all of baseball. In all, his stats scream unhittable.

Kimbrel is forced to shut down opposing teams in tight games while dealing with the challenge of Fenway Park. You could say the same for Greg Holland, who pitches in the equally hitter friendly Coors Field. However, further comparison dictates the external factors weigh less favorably to Kimbrel. Kimbrel is welcomed most frequently by Fenway Park, Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, Tropicana Field, and Rogers Centre–all are notorious hitter’s ballparks. Those respective parks also produce some of the more dominant offenses in baseball. In conclusion, Craig Kimbrel has one of the toughest jobs in the game. The pressure is always at a peak, the competition is bottomless, and he has to produce in a Red Sox uniform.

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Craig Kimbrel has been in vintage form in 2017. His flamethrower of an arm is in great shape, and his command of the fastball has been outstanding. He also possesses an elite bender which counteracts his fastball, causing even more stress to opposing hitters. There is not a hitter in baseball that can hit the Boston closer. Statistically and visually, Craig Kimbrel is once again the most dominant closer in Major League Baseball.

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