Stat of the Day: Ian Kennedy Joins Exclusive 30/20 Club
Ian Kennedy is the fourth pitcher since 1969 (when saves became an official stat) to have both a 30-save season and a 20-win season
On September 16 in Oakland, Ian Kennedy finished his first season in the Royals bullpen with 30 saves. Of those, a Major League-leading 28 came from May 30 through season’s end, while he tied for second in the AL and third in the Majors with 19 saves after the All-Star break. He’s the fifth pitcher in Royals history to reach 30 saves in a season season, joining Dan Quisenberry (5 times), Jeff Montgomery (5 times), Joakim Soria (3 times) and Greg Holland (3 times).
Kennedy’s 30 saves this season, along with his 21-win campaign as a starter in 2011 with Arizona, make him the fourth pitcher since saves became an official stat in 1969 to compile both a 20-win season and a 30-save season. He joins Dennis Eckersley (20 wins in 1978, 30-plus saves from 1988–93 and 1996–97), John Smoltz (24 wins in 1996, 30-plus saves from 2002–04) and Derek Lowe (21 wins in 2002, 42 saves in 2000). Kennedy and Eckersley are the only two to turn the trick with different franchises, as Eckersley’s 20-win season came with Boston in 1978 before he collected 30-plus saves with Oakland from 1988–93 and 30-plus saves with St. Louis from 1996–97.
The last Major League pitcher to enter a season with more wins than Kennedy (entered 2019 with 94 wins) and collect at least 30 saves was former Royal Tom Gordon, who earned 32 saves with Philly in 2006 after entering that season with 127 wins. Kennedy’s career combination of 97 wins and 30 saves is unmatched among active pitchers, and he’s one of four hurlers to accumulate those totals since 2000. The only others to amass both 97 wins and 30 saves since 2000 are Ryan Dempster (124 wins, 87 saves), Derek Lowe (165 wins, 67 saves) and Brett Myers (97 wins, 40 saves).
