PITTSBURGH – Craig Kimbrel’s two-year journey through the desert seems to be over.
The seven-time All-Star is back. And the Chicago Cubs closer used it all as they finished off the shaky Pittsburgh Pirates with a 4-2 win on Thursday to become the 12th pitcher in major league history with 350 career stops.
Kimbrel destroyed Dustin Fowler and Wilmer Difo with the bases loaded to finish eighth, and then retired the Pirates to get their first five-point discount in their long 12-year career.
“It’s a tremendous success,” Kimbrel said. “I’m glad I was able to get here. The plan is to get to 400 now.”
Kimbrel’s 22-step performance didn’t leave him exactly gassed. The 32-year-old spent nearly an hour going through his usual post-game training routine.
“He’s a special and we’re lucky to have him,” Chicago starter Jake Arrieta said after working six innings to improve to 2-0. “He’s going to get in the ranks. Especially with the things he still has. He may end up being number 1 at the end of the day.”
A perspective that seemed unreasonable during Kimbrel’s well-documented struggles. He ran in 2019 and 2020, going from 0 to 5 with an ERA of 6.00 in 41 appearances in Chicago.
It’s quickly becoming a somewhat distant memory. Kimbrel has yet to allow a success in 4 entr innings in 2021. When asked what the difference is between the last few seasons and the last two seasons, Kimbrel just shrugged.
“Launching strikes,” he said with a laugh.