Giants Claim Kuhnel Off Waivers

The San Francisco Giants have added another arm to their pitching depth, claiming right-hander Joel Kuhnel off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers.

Kuhnel became available after the Brewers designated him for assignment earlier this week. San Francisco will need to clear a spot on its 40-man roster to officially add him, while his lack of minor-league options means the Giants will also have to make room for him on the active roster once he joins the club.

The move gives San Francisco an opportunity to evaluate a veteran reliever who has spent time with several organizations throughout his career. 

Now 31 years old, Kuhnel has accumulated 129 innings at the major-league level and owns a 5.58 ERA. His results in the majors have been inconsistent, but his ability to generate ground balls and his collection of pitches have continued to give teams reason to take a chance on him.

Kuhnel typically works with a fastball combination consisting of a four-seam fastball and sinker, both of which sit around 95 mph. He also has a cutter, slider, curveball and changeup in his arsenal. While he has not established himself as a high-strikeout pitcher, his sinker-heavy approach has allowed him to consistently induce ground balls.

His minor-league performance has been considerably stronger than his major-league results. Since the beginning of the 2024 season, Kuhnel has thrown 119.2 innings at Triple-A while posting a 3.08 ERA.

He spent portions of the 2026 season with Athletics and Milwaukee, combining for 35.1 innings and a 4.84 ERA. Kuhnel's most recent stint in the Brewers organization included a rehab assignment at Triple-A, where he allowed a 1.64 ERA across 11 innings.

Rather than returning Kuhnel to their major-league roster following the rehab stint, Milwaukee designated him for assignment, eventually leading to San Francisco's waiver claim.

The Giants have little to lose by taking a closer look at Kuhnel during the final portion of the season. With the club no longer competing for a postseason spot, the remaining games provide an opportunity to evaluate players who could potentially contribute beyond 2026.

Kuhnel's contract situation could make the move particularly appealing. If San Francisco decides that his arsenal and ground-ball tendencies can translate into more consistent major-league production, the Giants could retain him beyond this season.

He remains under team control for four additional seasons after 2026 and is not scheduled to reach arbitration until after the 2027 campaign. That gives the Giants time to determine whether Kuhnel can become a dependable bullpen option without having to make an immediate long-term commitment.