Blue Jays acquire right-handed pitcher Joel Kuhnel from Astros

Kuhnel allowed four earned runs in his lone appearance for the Astros this season and was designated for assignment earlier this week. The Blue Jays had an open spot on their 40-man roster and won’t need to remove anybody else in order to add Kuhnel.

Selected in the 11th round of the MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds, Kuhnel put up some very good numbers in the minor leagues before being called up to make his MLB debut in 2019. Between Double-A and Triple-A that season, Kuhnel posted a 2.18 ERA over 53 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.

After missing the majority of the 2021 season because of a shoulder injury, Kuhnel was a mainstay in Cincinnati’s bullpen in 2022. Kuhnel logged 58 innings for the Reds and put up a 6.36 ERA, though his 8.7 strikeouts per nine and 2.2 walks per nine suggest he dealt with some poor luck.

The Reds traded Kuhnel to the Astros in June of 2023 for cash considerations. He made seven appearances with Houston last season and scattered five earned runs across 9 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and three walks. All told, he has a 6.30 ERA over 77 appearances at the Major League level in his career.

For the Blue Jays, the addition of Kuhnel gives the team another arm to potentially call up from Triple-A Buffalo if the bullpen is taxed. As of right now, Yariel Rodriguez, Bowden Francis, and Chad Green are all on the Injured List, Yimi Garcia is dealing with back soreness, and Erik Swanson, Tim Mayza, and Genesis Cabrera have all had some struggles in the early going.