Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Locks down postseason save
Rotowire
Kimbrel allowed one hit in a scoreless inning to record a save in Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Marlins in Game 1 of the NL Wild Card Series.
Kimbrel gave up a double to Josh Bell to put a run in scoring position, but he managed to close the door on the Marlins' hopes of coming back in Game 1. Kimbrel blew two of four save opportunities in September, despite an impressive 1.50 ERA in that stretch. However, the veteran right-hander is now a perfect 8-for-8 in save chances in the postseason over his career while posting a 3.96 ERA and 1.32 WHIP with 27 strikeouts across 25 innings.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Blows fourth save
Rotowire
Kimbrel blew the save in Friday's 5-4 extra-inning win over the Mets, allowing one run on one hit and no walks while striking out one over one inning.
Entrusted with a one-run lead in the ninth inning, Kimbrel saw Brett Baty crush a 432-foot solo shot with one out to hand the Phillies' reliever his fourth blown save of the season. Seranthony Dominguez wound up getting the win in the 10th. Kimbrel hadn't blown a save since Aug. 30, throwing eight scoreless innings since. He has a 3.27 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 88:28 K:BB and 23 saves over 66 innings this year.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Takes loss in extras
Rotowire
Kimbrel (7-6) took the loss in Tuesday's contest with Atlanta. He allowed an unearned run on one hit in one inning.
Kimbrel took an unfortunate loss in the 10th inning, allowing just one single that got past Philadelphia's drawn-in infield to score the automatic runner. Despite the loss, it marked his fifth straight appearance without allowing an earned run. Kimbrel is 23-for-26 in save opportunities this season with a 3.34 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 11.9 K/9 across 62 innings.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Snags 23rd save
Rotowire
Kimbrel picked up the save in Monday's 7-5 win over Atlanta. He allowed one hit while striking out one over a scoreless inning.
After a Nicky Lopez single with two outs, Kimbrel coaxed a ground out from Ronald Acuna, who represented the tying run, to lock down his 23rd save of the year. Kimbrel's held opponents scoreless in six of his last seven appearances, lowering his ERA to 3.39 with a 1.03 WHIP and 82:24 K:BB across 61 innings this season.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Earns 21st save in short order
Rotowire
Kimbrel picked up the save in Monday's 6-4 win over the Angels with a perfect ninth inning.
Kimbrel made quick work of the Angels on Monday, getting the final three outs on just seven pitches to shut the door on a 6-4 Philadelphia victory. After a few days off following a poor appearance Aug. 23, the veteran closer has converted save opportunities on back-to-back days. Kimbrel is now 7-for-9 in save chances since the All-Star break with a 2.84 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 17:7 K:BB across 19 second-half innings.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Locks down 20th save
Rotowire
Kimbrel picked up the save Sunday against the Cardinals. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out one over a scoreless inning.
The Cardinals got the tying run to the plate against Kimbrel in the ninth, but he managed to coax a pop out from Nolan Arenado before striking out Willson Contreras to preserve a 3-0 victory. The save was Kimbrel's first since Aug. 5 -- the veteran closer struggled in his prior outing, allowing a pair of earned runs in an extra-innings loss to the Giants. Overall, Kimbrel's now 20-for-22 in save chances with a 3.27 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 74:21 K:BB across 55 innings this season.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Takes loss in extras
Rotowire
Kimbrel (7-4) took the loss Wednesday against the Giants. He allowed three runs (two earned) on a hit and a walk while striking out one over one inning.
After the Phillies scored three runs off Camilo Doval in the ninth inning to tie the game 5-5, Kimbrel surrendered three runs in the 10th in an eventual 8-6 loss. It was a rare hiccup for the veteran closer, who'd allowed just two earned runs in his previous 11 innings. Kimbrel now sports a 3.33 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 73:20 K:BB across 54 innings this season while going 19-for-21 in save chances.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Earns win in relief
Rotowire
Kimbrel (7-3) earned the win in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over San Francisco. He allowed one hit and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning.
Kimbrel entered in the ninth inning with Philadelphia trailing 3-2 and managed to escape the frame unscathed. Trea Turner then delivered a walk-off, two-run single in the bottom of the inning to earn Kimbrel his seventh win of the campaign. After a rough first month, the long-time closer has been dominant since May 9, successfully converting 16 of his 18 save opportunities with a 1.54 ERA, 0.73 WHIP and a 55:10 K:BB across 41 innings during that stretch.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Blows second save
Rotowire
Kimbrel blew the save in the 10th inning Wednesday during the Phillies' 9-8 loss to the Marlins, giving up two runs (one earned) on two hits.
Kimbrel was far from the only Philadelphia reliever to have trouble putting Miami away after Zack Wheeler exited with a 5-2 lead, as the Phillies' bullpen collectively coughed up seven runs in five-plus innings. Both of Kimbrel's blown saves on the season have come since the All-Star break, and over his last 10 innings he has a tepid 8:4 K:BB despite a superficially strong 2.70 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. Gregory Soto got the nod in the ninth inning Wednesday and was also charged with a blown save, and he could keep working his way into the closer mix as long as Kimbrel continues to show signs of fading.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Grabs 18th save
Rotowire
Kimbrel worked a clean ninth inning to pick up the save in Monday's 4-2 win over the Marlins.
Kimbrel's pitched to a pristine 0.82 ERA over his last 22 innings -- he's allowed just three earned runs since the start of June. Overall, his ERA is down to 3.13 with a 0.96 WHIP and 65:18 K:BB across 46 innings this season while converting 18 of 19 save opportunities.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Secures 17th save
Rotowire
Kimbrel picked up the save Friday against Pittsburgh, allowing one walk over a scoreless ninth inning. He didn't record a strikeout.
Kimbrel blew a save and suffered a loss this week, but he's bounced back with two straight scoreless outings. Thursday's performance wasn't perfect, as the right-hander walked just his second batter over his past six appearances, but Kimbrel still got the job done and is now 17-for-18 in save chances this season with a 3.27 ERA and 64:18 K:BB.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Takes second loss
Rotowire
Kimbrel (6-2) took the loss in Monday's 3-2 defeat against the Orioles. He allowed a run on a hit and a walk while striking out one over one inning.
After walking Gunnar Henderson, who advanced to second on a wild pitch, Kimbrel surrendered a two-out double to Colton Cowser, giving the Orioles a 3-2 lead in the top of the ninth. Kimbrel has now allowed runs in back-to-back appearances following a 16-inning scoreless streak. Still, the veteran right-hander appears to have the closing job in Philly locked down while Jose Alvarado (elbow) remains on the IL. Kimbrel now has a 3.43 ERA with a 1.00 WHIP and 62:17 K:BB over 42 innings while going 16-for-17 in save opportunities this season.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Nabs win after blowing save
Rotowire
Kimbrel (6-1) blew the save but picked up the win Sunday against the Guardians. He allowed one run on two hits while striking out one over one inning.
KImbrel took the mound with a 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the ninth but was unable to secure his 17th save of the season after allowing a solo homer to David Fry. The outing marked Kimbrel's first blown save of the season, first run surrendered since June 8 (16 appearances) and first long ball allowed since May 31.
Kimbrel struck out one and didn't give up a hit or walk in a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 16th save of the season in Tuesday's win over the Brewers.
A pair of one-out errors allowed the tying run to reach second base, but Kimbrel delivered 10 of his 12 pitches for a strike to maintain the one-run advantage. The 35-year-old has converted all 16 of his save chances this year and has a 3.15 ERA and 60:16 K:BB across 40 innings, and he hasn't surrendered a run in his past 16 appearances.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Notches 15th save
Rotowire
Kimbrel recorded his 15th save of the season in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader sweep of the Padres, walking two and striking out one in a scoreless ninth inning.
The right-hander made things very interesting and fired only nine of 19 pitches for strikes, but Kimbrel escaped the jam he created when he got Manny Machado to fly out to shallow right field, and Bryson Stott managed to hold onto the ball after a collision with Nick Castellanos. Kimbrel hasn't been scored upon in 14 straight appearances dating back to June 8, posting a 21:3 K:BB through 14 innings over that stretch and converting all six of his save chances, so Saturday's wobble doesn't seem to be cause for concern.
Kimbrel picked up the save Friday against Miami, allowing one hit over a scoreless inning. He didn't record a walk or strikeout.
Philadelphia struck for three runs in the top of the ninth to take a 4-3 lead, so Kimbrel got the save opportunity in the bottom half of the inning. He allowed a leadoff single to Jean Segura, but that was quickly rectified with a double-play ball from Joey Wendle, and Yuli Gurriel popped out to end the game. Kimbrel has yet to blow a save this season (14-for-14) and has an elite 57:14 K:BB across 37 innings.
... See More... See Less
Phillies' Craig Kimbrel: Perfect for 13th save
Rotowire
Kimbrel picked up the save in Tuesday's 3-1 victory over the Rays. He struck out two over a perfect inning.
Kimbrel improved to a perfect 13-for-13 in save opportunities this season, striking out the first two batters he faced before forcing Christian Bethancourt to pop out to end the game and secure the save. The outing extended what was already an impressive stretch for Kimbrel, pushing his scoreless inning streak to 11 frames in as many appearances while also marking his seventh perfect inning in that sample.
