PHILADELPHIA -- Braves rookie closer Craig Kimbrel is headed to Tuesday's All-Star game as a replacement for Giants pitcher Matt Cain.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy announced Kimbrel's addition to the team through Major League Baseball shortly after Cain began his outing on Sunday night for the Giants. Cain is ineligible for Tuesday’s game because he’s pitching tonight.
Kimbrel, who is 2-2 with a 2.35 ERA, recorded 28 saves for the Braves in the first half to break Jonathan Papelbon'smajor league record for saves by a rookie before the All-Star break. (Papelbon had 26 saves for the Red Sox in 2006).
Kimbrel hasn’t allowed a run in his past 14 appearances, while going 10-for-10 in saves and allowing just three hits and three walks. He leads all major league relievers with 70 strikeouts.
Bochy is believed to have chosen Kimbrel over his teammate Tommy Hanson, in large part because Kimbrel is a reliever who's used to warming quickly to enter a game. Hanson, who's 10-4 on the season, is fifth in the National League with a 2.52 ERA and first among qualified starters with a .192 opponents' batting average.
Hanson couldn't make the All-Star team as a replacement for Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels, who also pitched Sunday, because Hamels was selected by player vote. Pirates pitcher Kevin Correia (11-7, 4.01), who was the next highest vote-getter in the player vote, was named as Hamels' replacement. Choosing Cain's replacement was a manager's choice.
Jurrjens awaits announcement
Braves right-hander Jair Jurrjens was 10 years old and watching on TV from his native Curacao when John Smoltz started the last All-Star game for the Braves in 1996.
Now Jurrjens has a chance to get the nod himself Tuesday in Phoenix in his first ever trip to an All-Star game. An announcement on the starters won’t be made until today.
Jurrjens is leading the National League in ERA (1.87) and wins (12). Though he said he would understand if Giants manager Bruce Bochy goes with the more veteran Roy Halladay, who's leading the league in innings pitched (143 1/3 innings) and complete games (six) and is second in strikeouts (138).
"You could not go wrong with those three guys," said Jurrjens, referring to Phillies veteran All-Stars Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels.
Jurrjens said he grew up watching the All-Star game in Curacao but it got to be an ever bigger deal in that area when his fellow countryman and former Brave Andruw Jones made his first All-Star team as a Brave in 2000. It was the first of five appearances for the former Braves Gold Glove center fielder.
Jurrjens is the second player from Curacao ever to make the All-Star game. On Sunday morning he was still focused on the Phillies series, but he knew that would change when he landed Sunday night in Phoenix.
“I think when I get out there it’s going to hit me,” Jurrjens said.
Hudson set to open second half
Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said he plans to start Tim Hudson against the Nationals when the Braves return from the All-Star break on Friday.
The rest of the Braves rotation depends on how much Jurrjens pitches Tuesday night in the All-Star game. As it is, Gonzalez plans to pitch Jurrjens on Saturday against the Nationals, followed by Tommy Hanson on Sunday. Derek Lowe would then start Monday against the Rockies and followed by Brandon Beachy.
If Jurrjens pitches multiple innings in the All-Star game, Gonzalez might push him back to Sunday and pitch Hanson on Saturday.
