| Ian Kinsler | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Kinsler with the Detroit Tigers in 2016 | |||||||||||||||
| Second baseman | |||||||||||||||
| Born: June 22, 1982 Tucson, Arizona, U.S. | |||||||||||||||
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| April 3, 2006, for the Texas Rangers | |||||||||||||||
| Last MLB appearance | |||||||||||||||
| August 12, 2019, for the San Diego Padres | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .269 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 257 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 909 | ||||||||||||||
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Ian Michael Kinsler (Hebrew: איאן קינסלר; born June 22, 1982) is an American-Israeli former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 14 seasons for the Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, Boston Red Sox, and San Diego Padres. Kinsler was a four-time All Star, two-time Gold Glove winner, and a member of the 2018 World Series champion Boston Red Sox.
Despite having been drafted in the 17th round of the 2000 MLB draft out of college, Kinsler rose to become a four-time All-Star and a member of the Sporting News' 2009 list of the 50 greatest current players in baseball. He was known as a five-tool player, hitting for average and power, and excelling in baserunning, throwing, and fielding.[1][2]
Kinsler twice hit 30 home runs and stole 30 bases in the same season (2009 and 2011), and is one of 16 ballplayers in major league history who have had multiple 30–30 seasons.[3] In 2011, he also joined the 20–20 club for the third time, one season shy of the major league record for a second baseman. He hit for the cycle in a game in 2009, while getting hits in all six of his at bats. Kinsler is one of only four players in MLB history to record six hits in a game while hitting for the cycle; the others are Bobby Veach, Rondell White, and Christian Yelich, with Yelich being the only player to accomplish the feat since Kinsler.[4]
Through 2013, Kinsler led the Texas Rangers in career stolen bases and power-speed number. In November 2013, he was traded to the Detroit Tigers for Prince Fielder.[5] He has been awarded both a Fielding Bible Award (2015) and two Gold Glove Awards (2016 and 2018). Through 2019, on defense Kinsler had the best career range factor of any active second baseman in MLB, while on offense among all active players he was 3rd in power–speed number and in career runs scored, and 5th in career doubles. He retired following the end of the 2019 season with 1,999 career hits.[6][7]
In 2021, he played for the Israeli national baseball team in the 2020 Summer Olympics. He was the manager of Team Israel at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.[8]
- ^ Ariel, Bard. "Ian Kinsler". Jewish Virtual Library. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
- ^ Freedman, Jonah (May 11, 2009). "Are Kinsler's gaudy stats another creation of Rangers Ballpark?". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2009.
- ^ "Players with the most 30-home-run, 30-stolen-base seasons". Stathead. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ "Players with six or more hits in a game while hitting for the cycle". Stathead. Archived from the original on November 18, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.
- ^ Max DeMara (March 4, 2014). "With Impassioned Interview, Ian Kinsler Proves He Can Be Missing Championship Link for Detroit Tigers". Sportsmedia 101. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
- ^ "14-year vet Kinsler retires one hit shy of 2,000". December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
- ^ Jeff Todd (December 20, 2019). "Ian Kinsler Announces Retirement". MLB Trade Rumors. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved February 2, 2020.
- ^ "Father Time has caught up with Ian Kinsler, but he's ready for baseball closure with Israel's Olympic team". July 22, 2021. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 20, 2021.