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Veteran reliever narrowly misses Super Two cutoff, but two other SF Giants pitchers attain it

But he gets a ring!
ByJeff Young
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Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) takes a lead from third base as San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Joel Kuhnel (54) pitches during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images
Sep 6, 2026; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Carson Benge (3) takes a lead from third base as San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Joel Kuhnel (54) pitches during the seventh inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

On Wednesday, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN reported that the Super Two cutoff for arbitration had been set at 2.133 years of service time. This is good news for Randy Rodríguez and José Butto of the SF Giants, but Joel Kuhnel narrowly missed that cutoff.

On a positive note, Kuhnel will now receive a World Series ring. He played for three teams in 2026, including appearing in 10 games for the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays in five games in the World Series.

Kuhnel joined the Giants late in the season. For a lot of players, the final month of the year was an audition for next season. Some players did not make much of a positive impression. Osleivis Basabe and Jason Foley are a couple of examples of this, as both cleared waivers and were sent outright to Triple-A as part of the roster purge.

On the other hand, Kuhnel did just fine in his brief showing with the Giants. In nine appearances, he posted a 2.79 ERA with six strikeouts and six walks in 9.2 innings.

Joel Kuhnel did well in his audition with the SF Giants, but was it enough?

The Giants' bullpen struggled with control in 2026, so there is a good chance that they will target relievers who can limit the walks. Kuhnel did not necessarily show that in his brief time, but he has a solid 2.7 BB/9 rate in his six-year career.

The right-handed reliever does not overpower hitters with swing-and-miss stuff. However, he flashes a heavy, mid 90's sinker with above-average extension that keeps the ball on the ground. Those traits appealed to the Giants last offseason.

Kuhnel will need to get through the roster purge, but he is not eligible for arbitration. He gained a full year of service time after starting the year with 1.127 years on his ledger. Falling just shy of the Super Two cutoff might work in his favor, as it is one less step for the club to worry about.

That said, Kuhnel does not have much of a track record for success, and he has bounced around the league. In six seasons, he has posted a 5.39 ERA. Despite a quality showing at the end of the year, that might not be enough to secure a roster spot for next season.

On the other hand, Randy Rodríguez and José Butto surpassed the Super Two cutoff. That was just a formality, as they had more service time than many players with two to three years of service time.

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