Phillies closer Corey Knebel pitches back-to-back in first two games

Corey Knebel figured the Phillies will need him to pitch on back-to-back days at various points this season.

So, why wait?

“Good to get it out of the way,” the closer said Sunday. “Early is better.”

Never mind that Knebel pitched on back-to-back days twice all of last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers and not at all in the brief spring training. After tossing 10 pitches in a scoreless ninth inning Friday in the season-opening 9-5 victory over Oakland, he told manager Joe Girardi that he was ready to go Saturday.

Sure enough, Knebel entered a three-run game in the ninth inning and nailed down his first save for the Phillies, albeit not without allowing an unearned run on one hit and a walk in a 4-2 win over the Athletics.

“I don’t have a longstanding relationship to Corey,” Girardi said. “He was adamant that he was ready to go, so I take his word for it.”

Knebel wasn’t quite as sharp Saturday. His average fastball velocity was down a few ticks, from 96.1 mph to 94.8 mph, from Friday to Saturday. And his curveball command was spotty. He threw only two of six for strikes, including the final pitch of the game to strike out Chad Pinder.

But Knebel said he felt fine. If anything, the velocity dip may have been a product of adrenaline. Not only was Knebel making his first Phillies appearance Friday, but as he came in from the bullpen, he nearly had to dodge a fan who dashed across the outfield and got tackled by security.

“It’s electric, man,” Knebel said. “The whole stadium’s electric. The fans are excited, the team’s excited, everyone’s in a good spot. You saw that first day. Fans are nuts here, man.”

Knebel is one of the few players on the Phillies’ roster with playoff experience. He went to the postseason last year with the Dodgers and made seven appearances, including two as an opener. He gave up two runs and struck out 11 in 5⅔ innings.

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Based in part on that performance, the Phillies signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract and gave him an opportunity to be a closer for the first time since 2018 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

“I feel like that got me to a good spot to have some teams look at me and decide where I wanted to go,” Knebel said. “I knew right away, right when I talked to [Phillies president of baseball operations Dave] Dombrowski, the guy wants to win. He’s going to do whatever he has to do. This is where I wanted to be.”

Injured center fielder Odúbel Herrera and reliever Sam Coonrod are progressing, though neither is close to rejoining the team.

Herrera, sidelined with a strained muscle in his side, is getting at-bats in extended spring training, a precursor to a minor league rehab assignment. Coonrod, out with a strained right shoulder, is throwing from 90 feet, according to Girardi.

The Phillies also expect reliever James Norwood to join the team this week in Miami after his seven-day bereavement leave.

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The Phillies presented Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper with their 2021 Silver Slugger awards before the game Sunday. ... Harper didn’t reach base Sunday for the first time in 38 consecutive home games dating to last season. He went 1-for-11 in the three games against the A’s. ... Congratulations to Phillies director of ballpark operations Mike DiMuzio, who is retiring after 51 years with the team. ... Left-hander Ranger Suárez will be opposed by Mets right-hander Taijuan Walker in the series opener at 6:45 p.m. Monday. Suárez, who made two spring-training starts, likely will be capped at about 60 pitches, according to Girardi.