Hand is expected to be part of a closer committee for the foreseeable future after interim manager Rob Thomson said Wednesday that Corey Knebel has been removed from the ninth-inning role, Todd Zolecki of MLB.com reports.
The closing change comes after Knebel blew his fourth save of the season in Tuesday's 11-9 loss to the Marlins while walking two batters and allowing three unearned runs. Thomson didn't explicitly say which relievers would be part of the closing committee while Knebel is used in lower-leverage spots, but Hand and Seranthony Dominguez look to be the top two candidates to pick up saves. Hand, who has nabbed only one save in 2022 but recorded no fewer than 16 saves in any of the past five seasons, has been dependable in a setup role thus far for Philadelphia, accruing a 1.96 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 20:10 K:BB in 18.1 innings.