Craig Kimbrel on Hall of Fame Path

Craig Kimbrel has been everything the Boston Red Sox could have hoped for and then some.

Acquired in a blockbuster trade with the San Diego Padres before the 2016 season, Kimbrel has recorded 96 saves and 271 strikeouts as a member of the Red Sox. He was particularly deadly last season, striking out 126 batters—a rate of 16.0 K’s per nine innings—en route to winning the 2017 American League Reliever of the Year.

Making his third consecutive All-Star appearance in as many seasons with the franchise, the closer owns a 1.77 ERA with 30 saves in 2018.

Craig Kimbrel has made the AL All-Star squad in all three seasons with Boston. (Michael Dwyer/AP)

Even before his trade to Boston, Kimbrel was the king of the ninth inning. He won Rookie of the Year in 2011 and made four All-Star appearances with the Atlanta Braves from 2011-14—leading the National League in saves in each of those seasons. He was named NL Reliever of the Year in 2014.

The only year Kimbrel failed to reach the All-Star game was 2015, his lone season with the Padres. He was still effective that season, recording 39 saves and 87 K’s with a 2.58 ERA.

Already ranking 18th all-time in saves with 321, Kimbrel is on pace to become a Hall of Famer and one of the greatest relievers ever. He will be moving up on the saves leaderboard this year and for seasons to come. He has already established himself as a closing legend, who could one day earn an enshrinement in Cooperstown if he is to maintain this dominance for much of his remaining career—something he would like to finish in Boston.

“I’ve loved my last three years here. The city’s provided me and my family a lot,” Kimbrel, a free agent at season’s end, said to MassLive.com. “And we’re very grateful for that. And we’d love to stay. And we love the city. But the way the game works, we’ll see how things go when we get there.”