Craig Kimbrel Trademarks

Craig Kimbrel is a professional baseball player who plays Major League Baseball. He is a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Craig Michael Kimbrel was born in Huntsville, Alabama on May 28, 1988. He played baseball and football at Lee High School in Huntsville, before attending Wallace State Community College. As a freshman, he played mostly as a closer and a spot starter. He had eight wins and no losses that year with a 1.99 ERA. The following season he recorded nine wins and three losses in 81 innings pitched as a relief pitcher. While his ERA rose to 2.88 his sophomore year, he was responsible for striking out 123 hitters.

He was originally drafted by the Braves in 2007, and then drafted by the team again in 2008 at an improved position. Kimbrel was sent to play with the Gwinnett Braves and didn’t receive his first call up until 2010. He ended up being called up twice that season and recorded 40 strikeouts and 16 walks.

In 2011, Kimbrel became the team’s primary closer. He set the record for most saves by a National League rookie before the All-Star break. He was also the franchise’s quickest pitcher to record 100 career strikeouts. Kimbrel was chosen for the 2011 All-Star Game and was the unanimous winner of the Rookie of the Year award. He led the league in saves for the season and he led relief pitchers in strikeouts per inning with 127 strikeouts in 77 innings.

Kimbrel was chosen to play in the All-Star Game again in 2012, a year where he had an outstanding season of play. He had 42 saves, which led the National League and he finished the season with a 1.01 ERA.

He recorded his 100th career save in a game against the San Francisco Giants in 2013. The 2013 season would also mark his third season amassing at least 30 saves. In a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, he recorded his 50th save, only the second major league pitcher to have 50 saves in one season. He was named Delivery Man of the Year and “GIBBY Awards” Closer of the Year

Kimbrel signed a $42 million extension for four years with the Atlanta Braves, also becoming the fastest pitcher ever to reach 400 strikeouts. In his fourth consecutive season with a 40-save minimum, he recorded a 1.61 ERA with 95 strikeouts. With 47 saves he led the National League for the fourth consecutive season. Kimbrel was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2015.

His next milestone, his 200th career save, came for the Padres against the Braves. Kimbrel played one season for the team and recorded 37 saves and an ERA of 2.58.

Kimbrel was then traded to the Boston Red Sox but suffered a torn meniscus, which would need surgery before he could play for them. He ended up appearing in only 57 games for the Braves that season but recorded 31 saves in that time. His ERA was 3.40 while striking out 83 and walking 30.

During the following season, Kimbrel recorded an immaculate inning striking out the opposing side in nine consecutive pitches in the ninth inning. He had a four-strikeout inning against the Rangers just two weeks later and for the season, he had 35 saves and an ERA of 1.43 while striking out 126 and walking 14.

Kimbrel’s 300th career save came in May of 2018, making him the youngest player to reach the milestone, as well as the fastest player to do so. That season he had 42 saves and an ERA of 2.74 with 96 strikeouts. He became a free agent at the end of the season and did not sign with a new team during the offseason.

At the beginning of the 2019 season, Kimbrel signed a $43 million three-year deal with the Chicago Cubs. He only appeared in 23 games for them that season while battling a knee injury, but he had 13 saves and a 6.53 ERA. He saw almost no playing time during the 2020 season, which was shortened by the coronavirus pandemic. Kimbrel was traded from the Cubs to the Chicago White Sox in 2021, and he appeared in 22 games for them before being traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in April of 2022.

In 2016, Craig M. Kimbrel obtained a federal trademark registration for a logo that depicts his silhouette in his signature pitching stance for athletic apparel including footwear, athletic shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and other clothing items.