The Brewers yanked Eric Gagne from the closer's role yesterday after the reliever called his latest performance embarrassing and said he didn't feel he deserved to pitch the ninth anymore.
Manager Ned Yost said he read Gagne's comments and will use a closer-by-committee approach while Gagne takes what Yost called a “mental break.”
“He's really pushing himself really, really hard and taking it really, really hard,” Yost said. “We'll probably just mix and match, I'm not going to do anything crazy.”
Gagne, who signed a $10 million, one-year contract with the Brewers days before the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs included his name, said after Milwaukee's 5-3 loss on Saturday that he wanted to keep pushing through, but he didn't deserve to close.
“It's mental, I think it's negative thinking that creeps back in your mind,” Gagne said Saturday. “It's a matter of going out there and executing your pitches, not thinking results and I'm thinking results. I'm going out there thinking three outs before I can even get one.”
Gagne was gone from the clubhouse immediately after Milwaukee's 5-3 home win over St. Louis yesterday, but Yost said he hopes his reliever works his way back into the role.
It's been a tough series for closers.
Gagne (1-2, 6.89 ERA) has nine saves, but is tied with Cardinals reliever Jason Isringhausen for the major league lead with five blown opportunities. Isringhausen asked out of the closer's role after he blew a save on Friday night and Ryan Franklin earned his third career save after Gagne gave up two runs in the ninth on Saturday.
Yost said anyone in his bullpen may be called on to close, and that he might take it batter-by-batter depending on matchup.
Yost said the coaching staff thinks they know why Gagne has struggled recently, but declined to reveal what they've found in Gagne's approach.
General Manager Doug Melvin said Gagne's performance will be part of today's organization meeting that he's been calling a “monthly review.”
“I would still give him the ball in situations,” Melvin said. “His stuff is good, but it's tough at that part of the game.”
Last season, Gagne, the 2003 NL Cy Young Award winner derailed by injuries, was having a nice year in Texas (16 saves, 2.16 ERA) when he was dealt to Boston near the trade deadline. He was unreliable with the Red Sox, finishing with a 2-2 record and a 6.75 ERA.
His start in Milwaukee hasn't been any better even though he maintains he's healthy. He has a 21.60 ERA in his blown saves and losses, but hasn't allowed a run in 11 other appearances.
“Every time we get a little momentum, I come out there and kill that rally,” Gagne said.
Other games of note:
RAYS 8, ANGELS 5: The surging Rays climbed five games over .500 for the first time in the club's 11 seasons, with Carl Crawford hitting a three-run homer, stealing two bases and scoring twice in the win over the visiting Angels, who fell from first place in the AL West with the loss. The Angels snapped a streak of 20 straight scoreless innings with a run in the third.
ROYALS 4, ORIOLES 0: Brian Bannister allowed two singles in eight innings and the Royals ended their 12-game skid against the visiting Orioles. Bannister struck out five and walked two to end a personal four-game losing streak. He did not allow a runner to reach second
METS 8, REDS 3: Carlos Beltran and Ryan Church hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning – the first time the Mets have done that this season – to support Oliver Perez.
MARLINS 5, NATIONALS 4: Dan Uggla's second home run was a go-ahead drive in the eighth inning that lifted the visiting Marlins to their seventh straight win.
