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There was little incentive for San Francisco to commit a roster spot to a journeyman reliever at the outset of the offseason. Kuhnel spent time with three different clubs this past season, converting a career-high eight saves to accompany a pedestrian 4.40 ERA across 45 innings of work. There should be another opportunity out there for him this offseason.

Kuhnel was summoned in the eighth inning with two outs and the bases loaded to protect a two-run lead. He got out of the jam with a flyout, then returned for the ninth and gave up a run on two hits before holding on for his seventh save, first with the Giants.

The 31-year-old right-hander had a 6.52 ERA in 9 2/3 innings with the Brewers and a 4.21 ERA in 25 2/3 innings with the Athletics earlier this year. He managed a 1.64 ERA working out of Triple-A Nashville’s pen in 11 appearances there. It seems likely he’ll get another major league shot in San Francisco, though he’s by no means pitched well enough in the bigs to say for sure that he’ll stick.

Kuhnel loses his spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster after wrapping up a minor league rehab assignment. He’s been on the shelf with a shoulder impingement since early July. There’s a chance another team out there brings him in as emergency relief depth. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless frames for the Brewers after being acquired from the Athletics in early June.

Kuhnel, out since July 4 with a shoulder impingement, gave up two runs in his first rehab appearance on Aug. 2, but he’s pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings since. It seems like he’s ready to be activated if the Brewers want him back.

Apart from the Brewers witchcraft in adding about three ticks to Kuhnel’s sinker, they’re now using him in high leverage. This was his second straight outing where he recorded a save and he literally saved the day in the eighth inning after the Reds scratched four runs across against Grant Anderson and Craig Yoho to make this a one-run game. Kuhnel calmed everything down that inning before loading the bases in the ninth and getting out of it with a timely double play. He has quickly moved into the circle of trust, but be advised that all of Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby had just worked two days in a row prior to this game, so at best Kuhnel is still captain of the B-team bullpen.

It seems Drew Rom’s stay in the Milwaukee pen could be very brief. Kuhnel was DFA’d by the A’s on Friday after blowing a save chance on Thursday. The 31-year-old journeyman had a 4.21 ERA, four saves and a 14/6 K/BB in 25 2/3 innings for the A’s. He’s out of options, so he’ll go right on to the major league roster.

The 31-year-old hurler came on with a three-run lead to protect in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday afternoon and gave up four runs on five hits to take the loss. That appears to have been the final nail in his coffin. Kuhnel posted a respectable 4.21 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 14/6 K/BB ratio over 25 2/3 innings while notching four saves in 25 appearances for the A’s. He shouldn’t be out of work for long.

Kuhnel’s first save chance since Apr. 20 was a complete bust, though not actually a blown save. That went to Luis Medina, who came in with two on and the lead down to one and then gave up back-to-back singles to end things. Still, this was all Kuhnel’s mess. He was the Athletics’ early season saves leader despite opening up in the minors, but there’s a reason he hadn’t had any chances in a long time. He shouldn’t see another any day soon.

Kuhnel got a double-play ball from J.P. Crawford after a leadoff single, but he just gave up three more singles afterwards, with Josh Naylor’s ending the game. The run is the second he’s allowed in 7 2/3 innings since the A’s called him up. He remains 4-for-4 in his save chances, and he’ll probably be the clear favorite for saves in Sacramento until he blows one.

Kuhnel did give up a run on a double by Leo Rivas to score Cole Young, but it came in a game the A’s were leading 6-3 at the time. The 31-year-old was able to get J.P. Crawford and Cal Raleigh to fly out as the tying runs to procure his fourth save of the campaign. He should continue to see save chances for the foreseeable future.

Mark Leiter Jr., who was brought in with a 6-2 lead in the eighth, gave up a three-run homer to Jake Burger, necessitating Kuhnel’s early entrance. All worked out for the A’s, though, as Kuhnel retired the four batters he faced. He’s 3-for-3 saving games and has yet to allow a run since being called up on Apr. 7. There still isn’t much reason to believe Kuhnel will be an above reliever going forward, but he’s definitely the pitcher worth rostering in the A’s pen at the moment.

Hogan Harris and Scott Barlow also pitched hitless innings in setup roles today. Kuhnel generated three easy groundballs with his sinker today, needing a total of four pitches in the process. There’s not really any projecting him as an above average reliever going forward, but he’s probably the favorite for saves in the Athletics’ pen, even though he only just joined the team 10 days into the season.

Kuhnel, a 31-year-old journeyman with a lifetime 5.78 ERA, recorded his previous save with the Reds in 2022. He had the good fortune to face J.C. Escarra, Amed Rosario and Ryan McMahon in the ninth tonight, as the Yankees didn’t even try calling on Austin Wells or Paul Goldschmidt off the bench. Kuhnel had a nice spring and probably would have made the A’s on merit if not for the fact that he was on a minor league deal with no out clause. Consider him part of the ugly mix for saves in Sacramento, but we still wouldn’t suggest rushing to pick him up.

Kuhnel gets the call to replace Luis Morales on the A’s pitching staff, although he won’t fill his exact role with Kuhnel a bullpen arm and Morales a starter. It’s likely the 31-year-old will serve in the middle innings of the A’s relief corps while on the roster

Kuhnel augments the Athletics’ relief depth heading into next spring where he’ll compete for one of the final spots in their season-opening bullpen. The well-traveled 30-year-old reliever didn’t appear in the big leagues this past season after making six appearances between the Astros and Rays the previous year. He compiled a respectable 3.53 ERA – 3.37 FIP – and 56/11 K/BB ratio across 63 2/3 innings over 50 appearances at the Triple-A level this past season.