Craig Kimbrel
One of the most feared pitchers on the mound is Boston Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel. Owning nearly unhittable pitches, Kimbrel continues to be one of the top closers in today’s game.
Kimbel’s made the All-Star team six out of his eight seasons in MLB. From 2011-14 he led the NL in saves. In seven straight seasons, Kimbrel’s recorded at least 30 saves.
With his consistency in the closer’s role, it’s no surprise that the righty is close to reaching a milestone. With 291 saves under his belt, Kimbrel remains just nine saves away from joining the 300 saves club.
Not only would Kimbrel join the club, but he’ll also be the youngest to do so at either 29 or 30, depending on if he can pull off nine saves by his birthday on May 28. When Kimbrel earns his 300th save, he’ll be just the 29th closer to achieve that amount.
This more than likely won’t be the only milestone we see Kimbrel hit in his career. In fact, the all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera didn’t record his 300th save until he was 34. Kimbrel, with such a high amount of saves at a young age, could one day become the all-time saves leader.
For Kimbrel to etch his name as the all-time saves leader, he’ll need to stay consistent along with staying healthy. It’s an unrealistic possibility but it won’t be easy either. Although one thing is for sure, he’ll notch save No. 300 sometime in the near future.