MLB: Meeting! Craig Kimbrel meets boy fan who mimicked his pitching move

The little Chase Boykin, a fan of the White Sox 10-year-old from the South Side of Chicago, had a plan in mind when he stood in the hallway and perfectly imitated the reliever Craig Kimbrel during the eighth inning of Friday’s 4-3 win over the Boston Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Veteran right-hander Kimbrel walked Xander Bogaerts in that eighth, but struck out Hunter Renfroe and Bobby Dalbec during their only scoreless inning of the series. Thus, Boykin’s plan clearly paid dividends:

Boykin smiled when one of the fans sitting near his family showed that the knockoff made it to the White Sox broadcast. And on Wednesday, Boykin had the opportunity to meet Kimbrel in person.

Together with his mother, father and grandmother, the fifth grader spoke with Kimbrel for about five minutes before batting practice. Kimbrel signed a baseball for Boykin, took pictures, and went to the clubhouse to retrieve a pair of spikes to give him. Kimbrel said it was a pleasure meeting Boykin.

While Kimbrel is Boykin’s favorite White Sox pitcher, shortstop Tim Anderson is his favorite White Sox player. He also spoke with Anderson on Wednesday, along with pitching coach Ethan Katz and executive vice president Ken Williams, while collecting numerous autographs.

It may interest you: Video MLB Nino receives HR hit of 106 MPH direct to the head

As a player for the West Englewood Tigers, Boykin rotates between second baseman, shortstop and pitcher. He has never used Kimbrel’s unique pitching style.

Rafael Martinez

I am fond of the King of Sports, especially the Boston Red Sox in MLB and in general all of Mexican baseball. This profession has given me the opportunity to cover major events such as the Caribbean Series, LMB All Star, LMP (uninterrupted since 2009), signings of important players. I had the chance to attend the 2013 World Classic in Arizona, USA, albeit as a fan. Apart from this beautiful sport, I love basketball, where I have also narrated games and even an NBA friendly 10 years ago, but I carry baseball in my veins. Bachelor of Communication Sciences from the Autonomous University of Sinaloa (UAS) , from which I graduated in 2011. I was born in Mazatlán, Sinaloa and started in the world of sports journalism in 2004 in the newspaper El Sol de Mazatlán, where I was a baseball columnist and reporter at the same time. In January 2009 I came to El Debate as a journalist reporter and it was almost six years (in the first stage), until in November 2014 I emigrated to the radio providing my services in Línea Directa-Grupo RSN. My cycle there ended in July 2019 and after a few days, El Debate gave me another opportunity to work and opened the doors for me again. That is how I came to Al Bat, where I have been since 2019 as a web journalist.

see more