Kansas City Royals: Ian Kennedy joins exclusive pitching company
By David Hill
With his 30th save of the season, Kansas City Royals closer Ian Kennedy joined a very exclusive group of pitchers.
On Monday, Ian Kennedy threw another scoreless ninth inning for the Kansas City Royals. He allowed a hit while striking out two, preserving the Royals 6-5 victory over the A’s. In doing so, he picked up his 30th save on the season, an impressive total for his first season as a closer.
With that save, Kennedy also joined a very exclusive group of pitchers. He joined Derek Lowe, Dennis Eckersley, and John Smoltz as the only pitchers in MLB history to notch a 20 win season and a 30 save season in their career.
This was not the expectation when the Royals signed Kennedy. He was expected to be a solid middle of the rotation arm, a veteran presence to follow Yordano Ventura and Danny Duffy. In his first season in Kansas City, he was exactly that, posting an 11-11 record with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.221 WHiP, striking out 184 batters in 195.2 innings while issuing only 66 batters.
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When the decision was made to pluck Ian Kennedy from the starting rotation and put him in the bullpen, it appeared to be an act of desperation. Kennedy had posted a combined 5.06 ERA and a 1.348 WHiP, allowing 54 homers in his 273.2 innings, hardly the type of production that would promise a successful transition.
Yet, Kennedy has become a solid option in the Royals bullpen. Heading into Tuesday, he had a 3.28 ERA and a 1.293 WHiP, striking out 70 batters with just 5 homers and 17 walks in 60.1 innings. He may not be a dominant force, but Kennedy has easily been the Royals best reliever.
Kennedy could also be setting himself up for a change of scenery this offseason. While his $16.5 million price tag for 2020 is high, he has established himself as a strong bullpen option. If the Royals pick up a portion of his salary, he could end up bringing back another solid prospect for the future.
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But for now, Ian Kennedy has become the fourth pitcher in MLB history to notch a 20 win season and a 30 save season in his career. The Kansas City Royals closer has made his mark on the game in his first season in the bullpen.