Gagne loses closer status

MILWAUKEE — The Brewers yanked Eric Gagne from the closer's role on Sunday 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 win over St. Louis on Sunday, 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.

O'CONNOR DEALT, SCHRODER RECALLED: The Nationals optioned left-hander Mike O'Connor to Triple-A Columbus after Washington's 5-4 loss to the Florida Marlins on Sunday and recalled right-hander Chris Schroder from the Clippers. O'Connor allowed nine runs in 3 1/3 innings in Washington's 11-0 loss to Florida on Saturday and was 1-1 with a 13.00 ERA in five games. Saturday's start was his first in the major leagues since Sept. 28, 2006.

Schroder pitched in two games with the Nationals earlier this season. He has no record and a 3.38 ERA. Schroder is 2-1 with a 1.26 ERA in 10 games with Columbus.