Kimbrel was called on to get the final outs of the eighth inning in Boston's 17-6 win over Minnesota on Sunday.
What started as a save situation for Kimbrel -- Boston was leading 7-6 with the tying run at third base when he entered the game -- turned into a hold when the Red Sox pushed 10 runs across the plate in the ninth inning. Rather than have Kimbrel come out for the ninth inning, manager John Farrell used Joe Kelly to mop up the game. This marks the first time Farrell's called on Kimbrel in the eighth inning, which suggests he's not that confident in the group of relievers he's been using in setup duty. With Tyler Thornburg -- who was acquired to be the primary setup man -- on the 60-day disabled list with a shoulder injury, the eighth inning may remain a dance for Farrell. He's lately settled on Matt Barnes, but the veteran has allowed three runs, four hits (two home runs) and two walks over his last two innings.