After stepping away for paid 'vacation,' Corey Knebel was able to step up in Brewers bullpen

Most of us can relate to the benefits of a nice summer vacation away from the job.

When you’re a major-league baseball player, however, such escapes usually aren’t possible, or recommended. Just don’t tell that to Milwaukee Brewers reliever Corey Knebel.

A National League all-star in 2017, Knebel was a force as the Brewers’ closer, logging 126 strikeouts in only 76 innings to establish a franchise record for relief pitchers. He was slated to return to that role this season, but things got out of whack almost immediately when he suffered a hamstring strain getting some work in an 8-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on April 5.

Knebel, 26, missed six weeks of action and, upon his return, often struggled with his command, particularly with his curveball. As a two-pitch pitcher – fastball and curve – Knebel could ill afford to have trouble throwing strikes and slipped to a 5.08 earned run average over his first 41 games.

Knebel reached critical mass on Aug. 9 when he was summoned to protect a 4-2 lead against last-place San Diego. He walked the bases loaded, allowed a run-scoring infield hit and was removed from the game, only to watch Joakim Soria surrender a grand slam to Hunter Renfroe as San Diego rallied for six runs to win, 8-4.

The team decision makers realized it could not go on like that for Knebel, for the good of both team and pitcher. A plan was devised in which he would be optioned to Class AAA Colorado Springs but actually stay with the Brewers for a few days to try to work out the glitches in his mechanics with pitching coach Derek Johnson and bullpen coach Lee Tunnell.

“It was a cumulative idea as we talked internally,” general manager David Stearns said. “Look, this is an extremely talented pitcher who has been one of the best relievers in the game. It’s not like his velocity was down.

“There was nothing fundamentally wrong with him. He needed a reset. We were at the point in the season where we could give him a reset. We had other guys who were pitching very well. These guys don’t get to throw side sessions. We mentioned that. You don’t get to work on anything on the side. When you’re working on things, you’re in the game.

“That’s tough to do in a major-league pennant race, in the back end of August. So, we brought Corey in and talked with him. He was on board. He understood we were trying to do what was in his best interests. He also understood that we believe in him. We just needed to get him back. To his credit, he worked his tail off. He reset his season, and we’ve seen the results.”

Indeed, the Brewers have. As the Brewers were pushing hard in September toward catching the Chicago Cubs for the National League Central title, Knebel went on a remarkable surge in which he compiled 16 consecutive scoreless appearances to finish the season, striking out 33 hitters in only 16 1/3 innings while holding hitters to a .096 average.

Knebel’s return galvanized an already solid relief corps, which had become the strength of the club. Manager Craig Counsell began using him in all sorts of roles – the sixth-inning “closer,” coming in behind the “initial out-getter” to bridge the gap to the late innings; as a setup man in the seventh or eighth innings; and sometimes at the very end of games in the closer’s role he held most of last season.

“We’ve got each other’s backs,” Knebel said. “We have all season. We’re all in this thing together. It’s our job to go out there and get outs, whenever they call our number. That’s the way we’ve approached it all season and that’s the way we’ll continue to approach it.”

Before finally getting a break in the Brewers’ 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series on Wednesday, Knebel had appeared in all seven of the team’s postseason games. Over that span, he allowed only two hits and one run in 7 2/3 innings (1.17 ERA), with three walks and 11 strikeouts.

Knebel recorded the final three outs of the 6-5 victory over the Dodgers in Game 1, and pitched 1 2/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts in the Brewers’ 4-0 shutout in Game 3. He will be ready to go again if needed Friday night as the Brewers, trailing 3-2 in the series, try to stave off elimination in Game 6 at Miller Park.

“Corey has thrown the ball really well,” said Counsell, who has kept opponents guessing by using his high-leverage relievers in different situations, depending on matchups and availability.

“Corey could pitch in the fifth (inning). He could pitch in the ninth. I would say the same for Josh (Hader) and the others. That’s how we’ll continue to use him. I’m not trying to get to any one player in the back of the game. It’s how the game evolves and what players are up for the other team, what’s the state of the game. We’re just trying to put our guys in the best position.”

Which brings us back to that little summer “vacation” Knebel took in late August. Though optioned to Colorado Springs, he actually spent only a couple of days with that club, making just one appearance. The rest of his time was spent working with his coaches during sessions in the bullpen at Miller Park.

"I think Derek’s idea behind this was, ‘Let’s just take a deep breath and get away from it and relax a little bit and understand really how close you are to having a lot of success,’ Counsell said.

“To Corey’s credit, I think he was able to do that. As much as anything else, it was like a vacation, really. He needed a vacation. You can’t take a vacation in the middle of the season. But, if it helps, you should take a vacation. We may be giving some players some ideas.”