Craig Kimbrel allowed one run in 2/3 of an inning, but escaped with his fourth save of the season in Wednesday's 4-3 victory over the Mets. The Braves entered the ninth inning up 4-0, confident they wouldn't need Kimbrel, but Jordan Walden put two men on with one out and manager Fredi Gonzalez had to use his closer. Kimbrel allowed both inherited runners to score along with one of his own, but was able to slither away with the save. Mr. Automatic looked somewhat human.

Craig Kimbrel struck out one in a perfect ninth inning to close out Wednesday's win over the Brewers. He was helped out by a terrific catch by Jayson Heyward to lead off the frame, but Kimbrel looked sharp for the second straight day. The Braves' closer has struck out four over two perfect innings so far and should be among the elite fantasy closers again this season.

Craig Kimbrel earned his first save of the season on Tuesday, striking out the side in a win over the Brewers. Kimbrel picked up where he left off in 2013, striking out Khris Davis, Rickie Weeks and Mark Reynolds en route to the perfect inning. The hard-throwing right-hander remains the premier closer in the game and will look to repeat his 50-save performance of last season.

Craig Kimbrel spoiled the Braves' no-hit bid on Tuesday, giving up a run in the seventh against the Phillies. Kimbrel walked two and gave up and RBI single to Kevin Frandsen. It's the first run he's allowed in five innings this spring. Kimbrel was pretty shaky last spring and still not quite his normal self in April, but he's looked strong for the most part this month.

Braves and RHP Craig Kimbrel avoided arbitration by agreeing to a four-year contract extension. The financials of the deal are not yet known, but it also includes a club option for 2018. Kimbrel was arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, so the Braves have bought out at least one and possibly two years of free agency. It's the third long-term extension Atlanta has worked out this winter, following the Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran deals. Kimbrel holds a microscopic 1.39 ERA with 381 strikeouts across 227 1/3 innings in his first four seasons in the majors.

Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that the Braves are expected to announce a contract extension with Craig Kimbrel soon. It's the winter of extensions for the Braves, as they've already locked up Freddie Freeman and Julio Teheran to long-term deal. The specifics of Kimbrel's extension are not yet known. Kimbrel, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time this offseason, holds a microscopic 1.39 ERA with 381 strikeouts across 227 1/3 innings in his first four seasons in the majors.

Craig Kimbrel will go to an arbitration hearing with the Braves on February 15. Kimbrel, who is arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, requested $9 million and was offered $6.55 million from the Braves when arbitration figures were released last month. Which salary the arbitrators pick could go a long way toward deciding whether the Braves can afford to keep Kimbrel beyond 2014.

Craig Kimbrel requested $9 million and was offered $6.55 million from the Braves when arbitration figures were exchanged on Friday. Kimbrel will be an interesting arbitration case to watch, as there aren't any good comps to measure against the most dominating closer in the game. MLB Trade Rumors estimates that he'll earn $7.25 million through the arbitration process, which would be much closer to the Braves figure than to Kimbrel's.

Craig Kimbrel won the National League's Delivery Man of the Year award. Kimbrell posted a 1.21 ERA, .166 opponents' batting average and a 98/20 K/BB rate over 67 innings. He also led the NL with 50 saves out of 54 chances. He's the first Braves closer to win the award in its nine-year history.

Craig Kimbrel was successfully called upon to get four outs in Game 2 of the NLDS on Friday, preserving a one-run advantage and allowing the Braves to even up the series at 1-1. The most dominant closer in the game certainly proved his worth in this one. He surrendered a one-out walk to A.J. Ellis in the ninth, but pinch-runner Dee Gordon was cut down attempting to steal second base on a very close. Pinch-hitter Andre Ethier then drew a two-out walk, but Carl Crawford was punched out to end the game. It's Kimbrel's first career postseason save in five appearances.