The White Sox released right-hander Corey Knebel earlier this week, as reported by Sox Machine’s James Fegan (X link) and other members of the team’s beat. MLB.com’s profile page for Knebel lists the transaction as an “elected free agency,” which implies that Knebel exercised an opt-out clause in the minor league contract he signed last winter.
Knebel suffered a capsule tear in his right shoulder almost two years ago, and after missing the 2023 season entirely, he returned to action in June as part of a rehab assignment with Chicago’s rookie league affiliate. Moving up the ranks to high-A and then to Triple-A once he was officially activated from the IL in July, Knebel ha a 5.91 ERA over 10 2/3 total innings this season, though five of his seven earned runs were surrendered in one rough outing at high-A ball.
At Triple-A, Knebel had a perfect 0.00 ERA across 5 1/3 innings, with a 44.4% strikeout rate and 11.1% walk rate. Despite that impressive work in the small sample size, it doesn’t seem as though the White Sox intended to bring Knebel up to the majors. While it certainly be argued that the 27-85 White Sox (losers of 18 straight games) need all the help they can get, it would appear that the team is prioritizing innings for younger pitchers the rest of the way, and thus Knebel likely chose to go elsewhere.
The 32-year-old Knebel last pitched in the majors in 2022, when he had a 3.43 ERA in 44 2/3 innings out of the Phillies’ bullpen. The shoulder capsule tear is the latest in a series of long-term injuries — he missed all of 2019 due to Tommy John surgery, and a lat strains limited him to 25 2/3 innings as a member of the Dodgers in 2021.
Over 306 2/3 innings over parts of eight seasons in the bigs, Knebel has a 3.26 ERA, highlighted by his 2017 All-Star season as the Brewers’ closer. This track record means that he’ll very likely catch on with another team on a minor league deal, and more good numbers in the minors will give him a shot of getting back to the big leagues before the 2024 season is out.
The worst bullpen in the league on the worst team in the history of baseball couldn’t possibly use a former star closer who’s thrown 5 1/3 hitless AAA innings. Makes sense.
What about the 7 runs he gave up in 2.0 innings in A+? Does that make him suitable for the MLB as well?
On June 30th? When just coming back from arm injuries? If that made him cuttable, then why not do it then? He hasn’t given up a run in a month – so yeah, that makes him “suitable for mlb”.
He’s thrown what 5 innings in that month?
That’s right, but again, he is building back from hardly pitching in 2 to 3 years. He threw on the 21st, 25th, 27th and 31st. So, building back. Could be he is reinjured, which would explain this better, because he only threw 1/3 inning on 31st.
Well, if he’s building back up and threw just 5 innings in a month and got blasted before that by a couple of 20 year olds at High A, then maybe it isn’t that weird the White Sox didn’t want to call him up, right? Maybe to protect the man himself too? Who knows. Perhaps we shouldn’t swing at the team here.
Arguing over Corey Knebel lmao
@therula
and if he comes back to even when he was with the phillies form let alone dodger form? Not too many of those relievers out there for the league minimum.
@Dbacks
So what your saying is the Yankees should release Gerritt Cole after his bad games against the Mets huh thats multiple bad games? I mean the guy is horrible 21 runs in 35 innings .. 12 runs in 2 games. . Who would ever keep a guy like that around. His injury was minor he wasnt even out anywhere near as long as Knebel.
Knebel is worth the opportunity especially considering every reliever including the Goat Mariano Rivera major and minor leagues has a bad outing or two especially coming off major injury. Am i saying make him a closer? No but he could get mid reliever with potential opportunities especially when Yohan ramirez is bouncing around the league and doesnt have anywhere near the experience or history as Knebel.
@Roll
I didn’t say they should release Knebel (for all we know he might have opted out himself, but it doesn’t matter either).
Some people are slamming the White Sox because they didn’t give Knebel a chance after 5 scoreless innings in AAA. I think that is rather short-sighted.
they have the choice of release or accept him to the 40 man as they knew the deadline
So they could have kept him and not really impacted much other than a roster spot and after all the moving and such im sure they had a spot on the 40.
@Dbacks – i’m done arguing about this one, but defending the White Sox management is an interesting and dangerous hill to die on. 😉
@Big Hurt
We can absolutely agree on that one and I am happy the White Sox is not my team. It’s just that I think this is a “shrug” transaction.
We are primarily focused on filling roster slots with guys we think can contribute to our 2026 Wild Card team. Knebel not one of those guys. No trade value either. I am with Chris Getz here.
rofl
Very Borey go off on another bender?
You clearly don’t see the white Sox aren’t trying to win
Only the Soxs
Give him a whirl Orioles
That’s the White Sox way!!
Also, the White Sox way is to have a historically bad team and still not be able to have a pick higher than ten in the next draft. That’s more on MLB, though.
A bit dramatic I think. If the White Sox don’t pick inside the top three I’ll set my hair on fire.
lemonlyman: No, the Sox will pick no higher than tenth. I thought it was because of indifference, which would give the Sox the no. pick.
No, it’s true. Since they picked in the top 5 this year they can’t have a top 10 pick next year due to the newer anti-tanking rules. So all we get for this most miserable season is a draft pick no higher than the 10th pick and Miguel f***ing Vargas. I don’t know why I remain a Sox fan 🙁
Same thing happened to Washington, this past draft.
Maybe instead of picking tenth and hurting the fans of the team. Fine owner 10 million.
I completely forgot about this new rule…I guess that explains why the Marlins didn’t trade all their bullpen arms. They can’t be this bad again next year b/c it means nothing…
I remember complaining at the time, but man, what a really weird rule in a sport like baseball
The new rules are stupid. If I recall, if you are a team that receives revenue sharing you are eligible for consecutive lottery picks(but not three years). If you are a team that does not receive revenue sharing, like Washington, this year, and the White Sox next year, you are not permitted to have lottery picks in consecutive years and can pick no higher than tenth. That’s why Washington, who actually “won” the lottery was automatically bumped to ten, because they picked second, the year before. Someone, please correct me if I am wrong on the details.
It doesn’t matter. Whoever they pick will turn out to be a bust. It’s the Sox’ way.
Majority of smart baseball people call it the wrong way.
He couldn’t have had much trade value by why release him today if you could have gotten anything for him 1/2 a week ago?
Yeah exactly.
How many of those 10 innings were pitched before the deadline? How much would your team have been willing to give up for a rehabbing pitcher?
Yeah, why would any team trade for a guy that has been injured for almost 2 years and has only pitched a couple of innings?
It’s obvious. The White Sox decided he was too good to play for them. Either that or he gets a raise if they bring him up and in that case he was never getting called up.
Or, if he elected free agency he realized he was pitching for a dead end org.
Pick em up, Brew Crew!!
Pick him up Red Sox.I would love to see if Bailey and Breslow could get him back to where he was with.
And yet, veterans like Wilson and Brebbia continue on the roster, getting shelled every game. Grifawful is so infatuated with them.
Welcome back to Detroit. Why not ?
While it certainly be argued that the 27-85 White Sox (losers of 18 straight games) need all the help they can get, it would appear that the team is prioritizing innings for younger pitchers the rest of the way,
so they can go 27-135 (lose 68 straight games).
whyhayzee: With a little less effort (if that’s even possible), I know the Sox will set the new record for consecutive losses (23 by the 1961 Phillies) and break the record for most losses in a season. I said when the season started that it wouldn’t be the Braves, Dodgers or Phillies who will rewrite the record book. It’ll be the Sox
I became aware of baseball in 1963, so I only know of the ’62 Mets after the fact. But they were pretty awful as they drafted their team to draw fans, a bunch of older players, instead of young talent. Still, in 1969, wow. We’ll see if the White Sox can rebuild.
The pale hose is now the pail hose.
They’ve kicked the bucket.
The shoulder capsule tear is one of the worst injuries a pitcher can have. I wouldn’t be clamoring to hard to get him.
Developed into a good reliever by Brewers before injuries interrupted his career is a theme for a reliever every couple years.
They should DFA a bunch of these guys and call up the Ramos’, Eder’s of the world to see what they can do in the final two months of the year. No excuse why Senzel is getting ABs over Sosa and Ramos.
Guys like Ramos (and Montgomery/Quero fans eager to see) need a lot more development in the minors. It is the perpetual WSox cycle to promote its so called good position players too fast. Teach them plate discipline and to play good D or this 25 year run of not developing good position players will continue.
As far as pitchers, they have a decent feel for when the right time is to bring them to big leagues. How they timed promoting Cease at each minor league level and not having to demote him once he made it was spot on-that was rare in KW/Hahn era.
Ross…get on the phone! Give him a flier! Nothing to lose now…
He set a record in MLB when with the Brewers. I cannot remember what is was. Any help out there?
Im not sure the Sox win another game this season if Grifol stays as manager. Its obvious the team realizes he is inept as well. The team is worse in hitting, and yet Thames (hitting coach) still has his job.. Ridiculous (and yes I get the hitting coach cannot hit for the player, but he is there to instruct and obviously not doing his job, and sometimes you just need a scapegoat to show accountability).
No accountability = 27 wins so far this whole season. If Grifol is not fired, it only shows how inept the whole org, and owner, is.
That 0 ERA at Triple, along with his good strikeout and walk percentages, make him a liability. The goal is to keep breaking the losing record, not stop it!
Getz put on reading glasses then realized he didn’t just have Craig Kimbrel