Brewers bet on Joel Kuhnel’s late-blooming velocity after an Athletics stop

The Milwaukee Brewers have turned to right-handed reliever Joel Kuhnel, a former Cincinnati Reds arm whose path to the majors has been marked by moments of electric stuff and extended stretches of underwhelming outcomes. Kuhnel’s latest opportunity in Milwaukee is built around one striking development: his fastball velocity reportedly jumped dramatically in a short window after the Athletics placed him on waivers. If the Brewers can sustain the new look, they could get back a weapon they can deploy in high-leverage situations without constantly reshaping matchups. Kuhnel, listed at 6-foot-5 and 290 pounds, was originally an 11th-round pick out of the University of Texas at Arlington. He broke into the big leagues with the Reds, appearing in 14 games across 2019 and 2020. According to the account published by Yahoo Sports, injuries limited him for much of the 2021 season, leaving his early MLB profile defined by potential rather than consistency. What Milwaukee is reacting to, though, is the most recent version of Kuhnel’s fastball. Yahoo reported that he went from throwing at 94 miles per hour to touching 100 mph, with a 99.5 mph average overall, during a very brief stretch that included his first appearance with the Brewers. The same report contrasts that recent gain with the 96.4 mph average velocity he logged during his initial call-up with Cincinnati in 2019, suggesting the “new” version of Kuhnel is more than a temporary uptick. The broader Kuhnel story includes enough turbulence to make the velocity change especially intriguing. Yahoo Sports described his time with the Reds bullpen in 2022 as one where he got into 53 games and logged 58.0 innings, including a save, but produced surface-level results that lagged behind underlying indicators. The report cites a 6.36 ERA alongside a 3.96 FIP and notes that in his major-league sample he compiled a 56/14 strikeout-to-walk ratio. It also described a frustrating start to 2023, with his ability to remain in one role diminishing, leading to a designation for assignment and then a trade to the Houston Astros for cash. After Houston, Kuhnel continued to move. Yahoo Sports said he bounced between the Astros and Tampa Bay before landing with the Athletics, and then being traded to Milwaukee after the Athletics DFA’d him in late operations. In a separate report, Reviewing the Brew said the Brewers acquired Kuhnel from Oakland for cash considerations and that he was designated for assignment by the Athletics on Friday, lasted one day on waivers, and was then added to Milwaukee’s active bullpen. That same account said Milwaukee planned to use him as the bullpen replacement for right-hander Craig Yoho ahead of a series in Las Vegas against the Athletics, which would place Kuhnel in front of the very organization he came from. If the Brewers’ decision is ultimately validated, it will fit a pattern that Milwaukee has leaned on in recent years, using organizational coaching and player development to extract more from arms that other teams have viewed as incomplete. But it is important to separate the headline from the long-term projection. A velocity surge can help a reliever get more swings and misses, yet the results still depend on command, pitch sequencing, and how often the fastball arrives in the same usable location. For now, the move looks like a blend of present need and a bet on a measurable physical change. The next question is how Kuhnel’s new velocity holds under game stress and how quickly it shows up in repeatable outcomes. Brewers fans will be watching for whether his fastball is paired with the right secondary patterns and whether his strike-throwing improves. With Milwaukee bringing him into a bullpen role immediately after the trade, the early deployment, follow-up outings, and any subsequent adjustments will likely determine whether Kuhnel is a short-term solution or the latest development win in the organization’s bullpen pipeline.

keyFacts

1) Joel Kuhnel is a 6-foot-5 right-handed reliever who was drafted in the 11th round out of the University of Texas at Arlington.

2) Kuhnel made 14 appearances for the Cincinnati Reds across 2019 and 2020, with injuries limiting much of his 2021 season.

3) Yahoo Sports reported that Kuhnel’s fastball rose from about 94 mph to touching 100 mph, averaging 99.5 mph, around his first Brewers appearance.

4) Yahoo Sports cited Kuhnel’s 2022 Reds production as 53 games, 58.0 innings, a 6.36 ERA and 3.96 FIP, and a 56/14 K/BB mark.

5) Reviewing the Brew reported the Brewers acquired Kuhnel from the Athletics for cash after Oakland designated him for assignment, and he cleared waivers within a day before Milwaukee added him to the active roster.

6) The Brewers were expected to use Kuhnel as Craig Yoho’s replacement for an upcoming series against the Athletics in Las Vegas, according to Reviewing the Brew.