Milwaukee Brewers: 5 players who must improve down the stretch

SAN DIEGO, CA - MARCH 30: Ryan Braun #8 of the Milwaukee Brewers is congratulated by Christian Yelich #22 after hitting a three-run home run during the ninth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on March 30, 2018 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) /

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2. Corey Knebel

Even with the Brewers dominant bullpen, there’s been one player who has been very inconsistent this season. And it’s 2017 All-Star Corey Knebel.

Knebel had a breakout season last year, posting a 1.78 ERA and accruing 39 saves. That performance basically locked him into the closer position this season, despite everything else going on in the bullpen.

When Knebel went down with a hamstring injury early in the season, Counsell used a closer by committee approach, primarily relying on Jeremy Jeffress and Josh Hader. That worked beautifully as the Brewers were able to play the matchups and set themselves up with the advantage.

Unfortunately, it appears Counsell has abandon that approach, instead, choosing to rely solely on pre-defined roles. This has been troublesome for Milwaukee, as Jeffress and Hader have continued to get their job done while Knebel has struggled. Knebel needs to pick up his game and provide the anchor the Brewers need at the backup bullpen if he’s going to remain in his current role.

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