SEPTEMBER 21 • VIVAELBIRDOS.COM
CRAIG KIMBREL
#46 - PITCHER - CHICAGO CUBS
0-1 W-L
1.43 WHIP
5.28 ERA
Remember a year ago when the Cardinals hit back-to-back homers against Craig Kimbrel and the Cubs? - A Hunt and Peck It was fantastic.
Bags second save Kimbrel worked a scoreless ninth inning to notch his second save of the season Saturday in the Cubs' 4-2 win over the Brewers. He gave up two hits and struck out one in the 26-pitc...
Impact With scoreless outings in 10 of his last 11 appearances to go with a 22:7 K:BB in 10.1 innings over that span, Kimbrel appears to have re-entered manager David Ross' circle of trust. While he wasn't at his sharpest Saturday, Kimbrel did well to limit the damage after giving up back-to-back singles to kick off the bottom of the ninth. Jeremy Jeffress still looks like Chicago's top end-game option with a sub-1.00 ERA and seven saves in eight chances on the season, but Kimbrel's strong form of late may have allowed him to move ahead of Rowan Wick on the closer depth chart.
SEPTEMBER 13 • ROTOWIRE
Jason Heyward sparks ninth-inning rally with three-run homer, Cubs defeat Brewers, 4-2
SEPTEMBER 12 • Fox Sports
Bregman gets big hit as Astros rally past Dodgers
SEPTEMBER 12 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Logs another scoreless inning Kimbrel allowed a hit and struck out two in a scoreless inning of relief Wednesday against the Reds.
Impact Kimbrel worked the ninth inning, though it wasn't a save situation with the Cubs down 3-0. While the veteran reliever still has an unsightly 7.36 ERA, he's now posted three straight scoreless innings with six strikeouts since giving up two runs and blowing a save on Aug. 29. Jeremy Jeffress and Rowan Wick have taken over closing duties in Chicago, but if Kimbrel can continue to pitch well, he could still see some high-leverage duty as the Cubs move toward the postseason.
SEPTEMBER 9 • ROTOWIRE
This Date in Baseball This Date in Baseball for August 31, 2020
AUGUST 30 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Near-beaning of Anthony Rizzo and Craig Kimbrel’s blown save leave manager David Ross and the Cubs angry and frustrated after a doubleheader split Manager David Ross was ejected from the Cubs' Game 2 loss to the Reds after Anthony Rizzo was nearly hit in the head with a pitch in a 6-5 l...
AUGUST 30 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Falters in save opportunity Kimbrel (0-1) took the loss and the blown save in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against Cincinnati, pitching two-thirds of an inning and allowing two runs on one hit a...
Impact Kimbrel entered the contest on a five-outing scoreless and hitless streak. He was called upon to protect a one-run lead in the bottom of the final frame but yielded a pair of walks and a single to allow the Reds to tie the game. Kimbrel then loaded the bases with an intentional walk, and Cincinnati subsequently walked off with a win as the result of a wild pitch Kimbrel uncorked while facing Jose Garcia. The outing was a microcosm of Kimbrel's season thus far -- he has allowed only seven hits while striking out 15 batters over eight innings, but his ERA sits at an ugly 10.13 thanks largely to 12 walks and four wild pitches.
AUGUST 30 • ROTOWIRE
Cubs drop Game 2 on walk-off wild pitch Craig Kimbrel appeared to be back on track. The veteran had started to induce familiarly feeble swings and pile up strikeouts, earning back...
AUGUST 29 • MLB.COM
WATCH: Nick Castellanos scores game-winning run on Craig Kimbrel's wild pitch
AUGUST 29 • Fox Sports
Reds take advantage of wild Kimbrel, beat Cubs for DH split Nick Castellanos raced home on Craig Kimbrel’s third wild pitch of the seventh inning, and the Cincinnati Reds avoided a doubleheader sweep by topping the Chicago Cubs 6-5
AUGUST 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Craig Kimbrel self destructs, hands Reds walk-off win over Cubs
AUGUST 29 • Fox Sports
Yankees beat Mets 2-1 to stop 7-game slide
AUGUST 29 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Darvish pitches Cubs past Abreu, White Sox 2-1 Yu Darvish struck out 10 in his career-high fifth consecutive victory, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Chicago White Sox 2-1 to stop the South Siders’ seven-game win streak
AUGUST 23 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Records first save Kimbrel hit a batter but struck out the side in a scoreless inning to earn the save in the Cubs' second game of a doubleheader Wednesday against the Cardinals.
Impact Kimbrel was called upon to protect a two-run lead, and he turned in a vintage performance to record his first save of the season. The only blip came when he hit Tommy Edman with a pitch, the third batter of the inning. Aside from that, Kimbrel showed improved control, finding the zone with 13 of his 20 pitches while also generating five called strikes and two swinging strikes. Both Rowan Wick and Jeremy Jeffress have served in the closer role since Kimbrel's early struggles, though it's possible that Kimbrel can regain the role, particularly if he can repeat this success.
AUGUST 19 • ROTOWIRE
Bote's 2-run single pushes Cubs to 4-2 win, split with Cards The Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 4-2 to earn a split of a doubleheader
AUGUST 19 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
5 takeaways from the Cubs-Brewers series, including several slumps by sluggers and Craig Kimbrel’s comeback The Chicago Cubs' offensive struggles aren't limited to Javier Baez. And manager David Ross is keeping Craig Kimbrel's role secretive.
AUGUST 17 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Darvish pitching like All-Star again for Cubs After entering the season at a bit of a crossroads, the Chicago Cubs are atop the NL Central
AUGUST 17 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Arcia, Hiura power Brewers over Cubs 6-5 Keston Hiura and Orlando Arcia homered, and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 for their third straight win against the NL Central leaders
AUGUST 16 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Yelich three-run homer lifts Brewers past Cubs, 4-3 Christian Yelich hit a three-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers beat the major league-leading Chicago Cubs 4-3
AUGUST 14 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Adding a changeup won’t be part of Craig Kimbrel’s attempt to rebound from a poor start for the Cubs Chicago Cubs manager David Ross frowns on the possibility of Craig Kimbrel incorporating a changeup because of the effects on his arm slot.
AUGUST 10 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
Royals beat Cubs 13-2, stop 6-game slide Whit Merrifield, Maikel Franco and Jorge Soler homered, and the Kansas City Royals stopped a six-game slide with a 13-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs
AUGUST 6 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
How the Cubs can help Craig Kimbrel rediscover his form You don't have to be a pitching coach to see that Craig Kimbrel isn't himself right now.
AUGUST 5 • THEATHLETIC.COM
Craig Kimbrel thinks he figured out the cause of his struggles Craig Kimbrel has struggled in epic fashion so far this season, but he thinks he has figured it out. With a third ineffective appearance on...
AUGUST 5 • FANSIDED.COM
Cubs aren’t giving up on struggling closer Craig Kimbrel, but the margin for error is razor thin. The Chicago Cubs are trying to refine the mechanics of struggling closer Craig Kimbrel so that opponents won't look exclusively for his fast...
AUGUST 5 • CHICAGOTRIBUNE.COM
