Corey Knebel

[Michael Trzinski]

Corey Andrew Knebel was born in Denton, Texas in 1991. He graduated from Georgetown High School and then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where he was plucked in the first round (39th overall) by the Detroit Tigers in the 2013 MLB Amateur Draft.

The big (6-foot-3, 225 pound) righty pitched in parts of two minor league seasons before making his big-league debut in May 2014. He appeared in eight games and had limited success before being traded to the Texas Rangers in July. Knebel pitched nine times for Triple-A Round Rock but sprained the UCL in his elbow and once again went on the trading block, this time to the Brewers in January 2015. He would have a fair amount of success over the next four years at Miller Park, leading the NL in appearances once and making the NL All-Star team in 2017.

Knebel was called up from Triple-A Colorado Springs in mid-May 2015 and pitched in 48 games for Milwaukee, with an excellent K rate of 27.7% and an ERA+ of 124. Knebel began the 2016 season on the disabled list with a left oblique strain. He finished the year with 35 appearances and earned his first two big-league saves.

He broke out in 2017, earning All-Star status with his 39 saves and an ERA+ of 248 and FIP of 2.53. He also struck out batters at a rate of 40.8%.

The injury-prone Knebel started the 2018 season on the DL but finished strong with 16 consecutive scoreless appearances in September. In the postseason, Knebel allowed one run in 10 innings in the NLDS and NLCS. Knebel missed the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He pitched in 15 games in 2020 and was later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Knebel pitched for the Dodgers in 2021 and the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022, saving a dozen games for the Phillies. Knebel spent the 2024 season in the minors with the White Sox and Angels but was released after the season.

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