Drake tough against lefties

Righty fills pen’s southpaw role

PITTSBURGH - The Milwaukee Brewers don’t have a left-hander in the bullpen after designating Tommy Milone for assignment, but manager Craig Counsell still has a reliever who’s consistently been able to get left-handed hitters out.

Right-hander Oliver Drake, who was acquired from the Baltimore Orioles in a trade on April 13, entered Sunday holding lefties to a .188 average in 32 at-bats split between the teams. A couple of years ago, former Brewers lefty Will Smith had a similar reverse split when he limited right-handed hitters to a .193 average for a full season.

“I think it’s a little bit of what he throws, and that’s something we’re working on,” said Counsell of Drake, who relies heavily on a split-fingered fastball. While lefties haven’t fared well against him, right-handed batters are hitting Drake at a .409/.519/1.200 clip so far in 22 at-bats.

“That’s always kind of been a little bit of how he’s performed. It’s just the nature of his arsenal. It’s not uncommon; it’s what a certain pitcher has to offer sometimes kind of predicates what pitches are tougher for a certain side to handle. But he’s doing a great job.

“Obviously with all right-handers in your bullpen, having a guy that happens to be good at that right now and working toward the other thing, it fits.”

Drake has been tough against lefties over the course of his career, which dates to 2015 and spans 40 games, limiting them to a .171 average.

“That’s just kind of been standard the last couple years at least,” Drake said. “The way I pitch just seems to match up well against lefties. All pitchers want to be able to get righties and lefties out. That the ultimate goal.”

Drake did the job again on Sunday, retiring lefty John Jaso with a fly out to end the seventh in a 6-2 Brewers victory. He is 2-0 with a 1.59 earned-run average, 15 strikeouts and a WHIP of 1.32 in 10 appearances (11 1⁄3 innings) since coming to Milwaukee.

Drake is throwing his split-finger at a careerhigh rate, and coupled with a funky delivery opposing hitters are having next to no success hitting it.

Drake said he picked the pitch up in 2010 while with the Orioles because he was having trouble throwing a changeup. He went on to be named Baltimore’s minorleague pitcher of the year in 2015 after a successful season as a closer, and now he’s finding himself already pitching in high-leverage situations with Milwaukee.

“It’s always a good thing when the manager calls on you in those situations,” said Drake, who doubled his career victory total with two in three outings in St. Louis last week.

“I think they do a good job of matching up when guys can come in and have a chance to succeed. But it’s the major leagues. Every situation, you’ve got to go out there and get people out. They’re all important.”

Milone was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets on Sunday. He will return to Miller Park this weekend with the Mets coming in for a three-game series and could start against his former team.

Sweet spot: Corey Knebel has been on a roll in 2017.

After striking out the side on both Saturday and Sunday – including three batters on 13 pitches Saturday – he now has at least one punchout in all 17 of his appearances (16 1⁄3 innings, 25 strikeouts). Knebel is the only reliever in the majors with at least 10 appearances who has at least one strikeout in each.

“It’s a confidence booster,” Knebel said. “It’s been good to get out there, get some innings under my belt in April. I had a good amount of experiences. It’s been good to stay healthy.”

In his third year with the Brewers, Knebel has settled nicely into a regular high-leverage role. He’s posted a 1.10 ERA, a 0.90 WHIP, has nine holds and is limiting batters to a collective .148 average while typically slotting in between closer Neftali Feliz and Jacob Barnes when the Brewers take a lead into the seventh inning.

Knebel’s fastball has traditionally been his weapon, and he’s averaging a career-high 96.2 mph with it so far this season.

It’s that kind of velocity that allowed him to be a closer in college and the minor leagues, and also helps project him as a potential future ninthinning option for the Brewers.

What’s helped make Knebel more wellrounded and tougher to hit this year, Counsell says, is the fact he’s throwing a better breaking ball.

“He’s really gained a tremendous amount of trust in it that you see out there,” Counsell said. “The fastball’s obviously a weapon for him, and he’s able to do a couple different things with it.

“But he trusts the offspeed pitch, and for that hitter to have to really defend against two pitches now makes it really tough on them.”