As expected, the Brewers placed All-Star closer Corey Knebel on the disabled list Friday due to a left hamstring strain that he suffered Thursday night against the Cubs throwing a pitch. He crumbled the ground and laid there for several seconds in great pain (video here). Manager Craig Counsell said on MLB Network Radio that the Brewers expect Knebel to miss six weeks at minimum. Knebel told reporters, though, that's he's planning on it being in the four-to-six week range. 

Knebel entered the game with the Brewers trailing 6-0 and gave up a two-run homer to Jason Heyward. The reason he came in was because he hadn't pitched since March 30 and he needed the work. Closers can't sit around for five or six days waiting for a save situation and still be expected to remain sharp. The injury was simply a freak accident. 

It's obviously a huge blow to the Brewers, too. Knebel had a breakout season in 2017, saving 39 games in 45 chances with a 1.78 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a ridiculous 126 strikeouts in 76 innings. He entered the season considered one of baseball's elite closers. 

Truly a bummer for the Brewers is that a timetable of a six weeks could get the schedule to June before Knebel goes through a minor-league rehab assignment and is truly ready to take back the closer job. 

In the meantime, Counsell said the Brewers won't name a replacement closer but will instead use what's known as a committee approach. 

Candidates: 

  • Josh Hader - The spindly southpaw is incredibly valuable in a multi-inning role (he's thrown 50 2/3 innings in 37 appearances in his career), but he absolutely has the stuff to close, with 75 strikeouts in those 50 2/3 innings and a career 1.95 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. 
  • Jacob Barnes - The right-hander posted a 4.00 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in 72 innings last year and is off to a good start this season. He was used for two innings once earlier this week, but basically averages one inning per outing (104 2/3 IP in 104 appearances in his career), so he's a more traditional choice than Hader. 
  • Matt Albers - Though he's never been a closer, Albers has 13 years of experience in the majors. Last year, he pitched to a 1.62 ERA and 0.85 WHIP for the Nationals. In three innings so far this year, he has a 0.00 ERA with two hits allowed. He seems like the best fit to me. Unless they want to give the job back to a familiar face. 
  • Jeremy Jeffress - The right-hander closed for the Brewers in 2016 (27 saves, 2.33 ERA) before being traded to the Rangers along with Jonathan Lucroy. He was bad last year in Texas, but improved once coming back to Milwaukee (3.65 ERA in 24 2/3 IP). In three scoreless outings so far this year, he's given up three hits and one unintentional walk with two strikeouts. 
  • Oliver Drake - It seems unlikely they'd turn to The Drake, as he's had issues with walks through his career. Through five outings this season, he has a 2.08 ERA with five strikeouts, but a 1.62 WHIP (again, the walks). 

It should be said that a lot of teams when put in situations like this -- whether through injury or a closer struggling and needing to be removed, even if only temporarily -- use a committee at first but eventually settle into one guy. Hell, that's how the Brewers ended up with Knebel taking the job last year. 

I'd bet the top four names listed there get save chances at some point in the next two weeks but either Barnes, Albers or Jeffress settles in as the closer until Knebel is all the way settled back in. If you want me to pick one, I'll go Albers. 

For now, the task for the expected contender is to play quality baseball for a good portion of the season without one of its most important players.