PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) - A look at Pirates players from last year and the potential for them to be a part of a hopeful Bucco resurgence in two or three years.
Returning from Tommy John surgery, Kuhl started 9 games for the Pirates in 2020 and show flashes of being a mid-to-bottom of the rotation starter.
Will Chad Kuhl be a part of the Pirates future?
CONTRACT--One of five Pirates making over 2 million ($2.13) this season, Kuhl will be a free agent after next season.
HISTORY—A ninth round pick out of the University of Delaware in 2013, Kuhl's ERA improved as the competition did. 2014, the righty was 13-5 with a 3.46 ERA in A. 2015-11-5 with a 2.48 ERA in AA. 2016-6-3 with a 2.37 ERA in 16 starts in AAA before making 14 starts for the Pirates that same year.
OUTPUT—Kuhl was a rock in 2017, making 31 starts and throwing 157.1 innings going 8-11 with a 4.35 ERA and 1.47 WHIP. Kuhl finished 2018 in June due to the shoulder injury leading to the Tommy John surgery. With the exception of giving up 8 runs in 2 innings just before going on the IL, Kuhl's last 9 starts amassed 50.2 innings, allowing 17 earned runs with 51 strikeouts. So a good stretch. In 2020-a similar story. Kuhl finished with a 4.27 ERA in 11 outings, but gave up 2 runs or less in 8 starts, 3 runs in a pair of others and 9 runs in 2.1 innings in the other start really jacking up his numbers.
Kuhl debuted on Sunday during the Pirates Spring Training opener against the Baltimore Orioles. He pitched one inning giving up two hits and struck out three.
OUTLOOK—If Kuhl can eliminate that one bad outing that pushed his ERA over 4 in 2018 and 2020 or if you just know that will happen. The rest of the numbers are good, especially for a middle of the rotation pitcher.
NO—Even though most of the Pirates best pitching prospects are in A and you don't want to rush pitchers (increasing Kuhl's value even if only as a place-setter to not rush other pitchers). Kuhl has the potential to have really good numbers over a couple of months, increasing his trade value. Already with one major shoulder surgery, it would be a risk to commit money to Kuhl over the long-term. Kuhl, after seeing Gerrit Cole, Jameson Taillon, Joe Musgrove hook on with winning teams, may not want to sign here either and explore other opportunities.
