SF Giants scoop up former Milwaukee Brewers reliever in latest waiver claim

The SF Giants made another roster move ahead of Friday's game against the New York Mets. According to a team announcement, they claimed veteran reliever Joel Kuhnel off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

In a corresponding move, the Giants transferred Jesús Rodríguez to the 60-day injured list with elbow neuritis. He originally hit the injured list on August 1, so this move effectively ends his season.

The multi-positional catcher posted a solid .728 OPS with two home runs and eight RBI in 58 plate appearances this season. He also appeared at several positions, including catcher. The Giants hope that he can turn into a reliable backstop with more work behind the plate, but there is still quite a bit of work to be done before he gets to that point.

The move marks the second day in a row that the Giants made a waiver claim. On Thursday, they claimed Brett Harris off waivers from the Boston Red Sox.

SF Giants take a flyer on Brewers reliever to audition for 2027 bullpen

Given the season they have had, the Giants should be scouring the waiver wire to see if they can find someone who can help them beyond 2026. Dylan Smith is a good example of a reliever that they found on waivers and worked out a trade with the Detroit Tigers to jump the waiver line. He has arguably been the team's best reliever this year, posting a 3.13 ERA in 34 appearances.

Over the past six weeks, they have been a little more aggressive on the waiver wire, and that is a good thing.

Joel Kuhnel split time between the A's and Brewers this season, posting a 4.84 ERA in 35 outings. Overall, he has a 5.58 ERA in parts of six seasons, most notably with the Cincinnati Reds. Kuhnel has bounced around the league over the past couple of years.

The right-handed pitcher's numbers have been much better in Triple-A. This includes a 3.59 ERA, 7.5 K/9, and a 3.12 SO/W rate in 166 career appearances.

On the mound, Kuhnel throws from a high three-quarters arm slot. He gets above-average extension, so the ball gets in on hitters a little quicker. The veteran reliever flashes a mid 90's fastball with low 90's cutter. He previously threw a hard slider, but that has morphed more into a cutter in recent seasons.

Kuhnel leans on his sinker a lot, which typically leads to lower strikeout totals and a lot of contact. While that pitch does not miss a lot of bats, it does induce a lot of ground balls. Kuhnel has posted a healthy 51.4 percent ground ball rate throughout his career.

The 31-year-old reliever is out of options, so he will need to be added to the active roster. With a few weeks left in the year, this should be a nice chance to audition for next year.

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