Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen issues Phillies’ Craig Kimbrel intriguing saves challenge

There are few relief pitchers who have been as dominant as Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel over the last decade. The duo both achieved a feat this season only six other pitchers achieved in the history of Major League Baseball. The Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies closers both notched their 400th career saves, doing so 16 days apart in May.

Jansen doesn’t want either of them to stop there. He thinks they can both get to the next century mark before calling it quits.

“I told him, we’re not stopping here. We’re going to 500 saves,” Jansen said. “That’s my dream. I want to see both of us reach 500 saves. I think it’s a great accomplishment. The game is hard. Sometimes we go down and sometimes we’re on top. But it would be a wonderful accomplishment for both of us.”

Kimbrel took a slightly more relaxed approach to the venture.

“What am I at right now? 408?” Kimbrel said. “Let’s worry about 409 and then go from there.”

Jansen was selected to his fourth All-Star game in his first season with the Red Sox, while Kimbrel was a late replacement into his ninth selection, more than any other active relief pitcher. Jansen has 19 saves for the Red Sox this season, sporting a 3.23 ERA and 10.6 strikeouts per nine.

Kimbrel has 14 saves and a 3.41 ERA for the Phillies and has been lights-out over the last two months. Since May 9, Kimbrel has a 1.08 ERA and has struck out 40 batters. He’s allowed one earned run since the start of June.

Kenley Jansen and Craig Kimbrel are intertwined a bit for the fact that they have played for similar teams. Both of them played for the Red Sox, Dodgers and Braves. They’ll now square off against each other in the Midsummer Classic.