Brewers avoid arbitration with Corey Knebel

The Brewers are avoiding what was potentially one of their most tricky arbitration cases, foregoing a hearing with Corey Knebel and getting the former All-Star to agree to a one-year deal.

Adam McCalvy broke the news this afternoon, which the club confirmed a short while ago.

Knebel is coming off of Tommy John surgery. Like Jimmy Nelson last winter, the two sides were able to come to terms on a deal before heading into a hearing where both sides had to figure out how to pitch a case for or against someone who didn’t pitch in 2019.

Knebel reporedly pitched with damage to his UCL for several years before the pain got to be too much this spring and he opted for Tommy John over rehab (and the chance he would eventually need the surgery anyway) in hopes of being ready close to the start of the 2020 season.

The most recent reports on Knebel’s rehab back in September indicated he hoped to begin mound workouts in January, and he appears to be on track to be ready by the first few weeks of the regular season.

Terms of the contract aren’t available yet, but Knebel made $5.125 million in 2019 and was projected to make the same amount in arbitration.