Closer job open as Knebel searches for strikes

PHILADELPHIA -- Corey Knebel is out as Phillies closer, at least temporarily.

Phillies interim manager Rob Thomson said Wednesday morning at Citizens Bank Park that he will use a closer-by-committee approach until Knebel returns to form. Seranthony Domínguez and Brad Hand are the most likely candidates to pitch the ninth. Knebel is 2-5 with a 3.24 ERA and 11 saves this season, but he blew his fourth save Tuesday night in an 11-9 loss to the Marlins.

Knebel threw only four strikes out of 16 pitches before Thomson pulled him with the bases loaded and no outs.

“I don’t think there’s anything to talk about,” Knebel said. “The decision’s been made. That’s it. I’m going to go out and do my job.”

Knebel has thrown only 45.2 percent of his pitches in the strike zone this season, which is his lowest rate since Statcast started tracking in 2015. It is the 12th lowest rate among 74 relievers who have thrown at least 400 pitches.

Knebel threw 54.6 percent of his pitches in the zone last season with the Dodgers.

It is a drop of 9.4 percentage points. Knebel did not pitch enough last season to qualify, but the biggest drop in zone rate among qualified pitchers this season is White Sox right-hander José Ruiz at 7.8 percentage points.

Knebel’s struggles do not seem to be health related, although he could not pitch Sunday because of tightness in his right shoulder. Knebel’s fastball averaged 96.8 mph on Tuesday, which was 1.3 mph better than his season average.

The bump in velocity indicates he is healthy.

“First of all, I wanted to make sure he was healthy,” Thomson said about his discussion with Knebel. “He looked me in the eye and he said he was. I just discussed the situation with him and suggested that, you know, for the near future we put him in spots where he can breathe a little bit. Because he’s not throwing the ball where he wants to, and he knows that. He was very professional about it. He wants the ball. He’s a competitor. He wants that ninth inning. And I want him to have that ninth inning as well. And hopefully with a couple of these outings, we’ll get him back.”

So what does Thomson need to see before he returns Knebel to the ninth?

“Just that he’s throwing strikes, he’s throwing the ball where he wants to,” Thomson said. “He’s landing the breaking ball. And he will.”

Knebel’s curveball has been a major weapon in the past. Perhaps because he is not throwing the pitch for strikes, hitters are not swinging at it. They swung at 46.1 percent of his curveballs with the Dodgers.

They are swinging at it just 31.1 percent of the time this season.

“Whatever it is, whether it’s mechanics or whatever, once he finds it and gets the ball back in the zone, we’ll have our guy back,” Thomson said.

This type of move has helped closers in the past. It worked every season with former Phillies closer Héctor Neris.

“Look at Mariano Rivera,” Thomson said. “You can look it up, but I think he blew 80 saves. But nobody ever talks about that because of all the success he had. There were times where he went through stretches where he just wasn’t Mariano Rivera.”