Milwaukee Brewers make surprising decision to release Jeremy Jeffress

On Sunday, the Milwaukee Brewers made the surprising decision to release Jeremy Jeffress, a key piece to their bullpen in 2018.

Heading into the 2019 campaign, the Milwaukee Brewers appeared to have a buzzsaw at the back of their bullpen. The triumvirate of Josh Hader, Corey Knebel, and Jeremy Jeffress were expected to turn any game into a six inning affair, as the Brewers possessed one of the more impressive bullpens in the game.

While Hader has been a dominant force, although not quite at his 2018 levels, the same could not be said for the rest of the trio. Knebel missed the entire season due to Tommy John surgery. Jeffress has been ineffective for most of the season, landing on the Injured List with a strained left hip. On Sunday, the Brewers made the decision to just release him outright, rather than hope he returns for the stretch run.

In turn, Jeffress is shutting himself down for the rest of the season, giving his hip time to heal. In theory, he would have been able to contribute to a team looking for bullpen help in September, but is taking a safer option.

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In 2018, Jeffries was one of the better relievers in the game. Over his 73 outings last season, Jeffress posted a 1.29 ERA and a 0.991 WHiP, notching 15 saves while striking out 89 batters against 27 walks in 76.2 innings. That performance led to his first All Star nod, and helped the Brewers capture the NL Central.

This season has been a disaster. Jeffress had posted a 5.02 ERA and a 1.365 WHiP, striking out 46 batters in 52 innings. His fastball and sinker velocity have dropped by nearly two MPH this season, likely due to his hip issues.

Jeffress could potentially be a bargain this offseason. He has a track record of being a solid, and at times dominant, arm out of the bullpen. Yet, his injury concerns may lower his price tag in free agency. For a team looking to reconstruct their bullpen on a budget, he could end up being an enticing target.

Jeremy Jeffress was expected to be a key part of the Milwaukee Brewers bullpen once again this season. Instead, after a disappointing showing and a hip injury, he has been released.