Kelvin Herrera is a former professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). He was born on December 31, 1989, in Tenares, Dominican Republic. Herrera began his professional baseball career in 2006 when he signed with the Kansas City Royals as an international free agent.
Herrera made his MLB debut on September 21, 2011, against the Detroit Tigers. He quickly established himself as a reliable relief pitcher for the Royals, appearing in 76 games in his rookie season. He finished the season with a 2.35 earned run average (ERA) and 77 strikeouts in 84 innings pitched.
In 2014, Herrera played a key role in the Royals' postseason run, helping the team reach the World Series for the first time since 1985. He appeared in 13 games during the playoffs, allowing only one earned run in 13 innings pitched. The Royals ultimately lost to the San Francisco Giants in the World Series.
Herrera continued to be a dominant relief pitcher for the Royals over the next few seasons. He was named an All-Star in 2015 and 2016 and helped the team win the World Series in 2015. In that championship season, Herrera appeared in 72 games, posting a 2.71 ERA and 86 strikeouts in 69.2 innings pitched.
In 2018, Herrera was traded to the Washington Nationals in exchange for three minor league players. He struggled with injuries during his time with the Nationals, appearing in only 21 games before being traded to the Chicago White Sox in 2019.
Herrera's time with the White Sox was also marred by injuries, and he appeared in only 57 games over two seasons. He was released by the team in September 2020 and did not play in the MLB again.
Overall, Herrera had a successful career as a relief pitcher in the MLB. He appeared in 537 games over nine seasons, posting a 3.36 ERA and 552 strikeouts in 562.1 innings pitched. He was a two-time All-Star and won a World Series championship with the Royals in 2015.
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