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Joel Kuhnel

Joel Kuhnel

29-Year-Old PitcherRP
Houston Astros
2024 Stats
W-L
0-0
ERA
18.00
WHIP
2.00
K
1
SV
0
Rest-of-Season Projections
W-L
ERA
WHIP
K
SV
Unlock Our Projections
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Joel Kuhnel in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
League AAA
Bats R
Throws R
40 Man Yes
Height 6'4"
Weight 280
DOB 2/19/1995
Born Goldsboro, NC
College Texas-Arlington
Drafted 11th Rd 2016 CIN
$Signed a one-year, minor-league contract with the Astros in January of 2024.
Sent down Saturday
PHouston Astros  AAA
April 13, 2024
Kuhnel was optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land on Saturday.
ANALYSIS
Kuhnel gave up four earned runs in two innings against the Rangers on Friday, which punched his ticket back to Triple-A. Shawn Dubin (forearm) was activated from the injured list in a corresponding move.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2020
2019
2024 MLB Game Log
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2023 MLB Game Log
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2022 MLB Game Log
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2020 MLB Game Log
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2019 MLB Game Log
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Minor League Game Log
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
52
Last 10 Games
52
Last 5 Games
52
How many pitches does Joel Kuhnel generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Joel Kuhnel generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
Even Split
2024
 
 
-25%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-33%
BAA vs RHP
2022
 
 
-11%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .298 132 19 8 36 6 0 5
Since 2022vs Right .298 192 41 11 51 14 0 5
2024vs Left .375 8 1 0 3 1 0 0
2024vs Right .500 3 0 0 1 0 0 0
2023vs Left .375 28 1 4 9 1 0 1
2023vs Right .250 30 2 1 7 2 0 1
2022vs Left .270 96 17 4 24 4 0 4
2022vs Right .305 159 39 10 43 12 0 4
More Splits→ View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-10%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-100%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-43%
ERA at Home
2022
 
 
-12%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 6.80 1.42 43.2 2 1 0 7.4 2.5 1.2
Since 2022Away 6.14 1.50 29.1 0 2 1 7.4 2.1 1.2
2024Home 18.00 2.00 2.0 0 0 0 4.5 0.0 0.0
2024Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023Home 4.05 1.50 6.2 0 0 0 0.0 4.1 0.0
2023Away 7.11 1.74 6.1 0 0 0 4.3 2.8 2.8
2022Home 6.69 1.37 35.0 2 1 0 9.0 2.3 1.5
2022Away 5.87 1.43 23.0 0 2 1 8.2 2.0 0.8
More Splits→ View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Joel Kuhnel compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
0.00
 
K/9
4.5
 
BB/9
0.0
 
HR/9
0.0
 
Fastball
93.9 mph
 
ERA
18.00
 
WHIP
2.00
 
BABIP
.463
 
GB/FB
1.33
 
Left On Base
0.0%
 
Swinging Strike
11.5%
 
Advanced Pitching Stats
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Astros Depth Chart
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Looking like callup candidate
PCincinnati Reds  AAA
August 9, 2019
Kuhnel, who has posted a 2.12 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 15 appearances since joining Triple-A Louisville, could be called up by the Reds later this season.
ANALYSIS
The 24-year-old right-hander had a great run as the closer for Double-A Chattanooga to start the year, and he's only gotten better in terms of run prevention and BAA since his promotion to Louisville. The Reds' starting pitching has been great this season, but the bullpen has been shaky lately (14th in the NL in cumulative fWAR since the All-Star break), and David Hernandez in particular has really struggled. Kuhnel would be one option to bolster the relief corps, though he would need to be added to the 40-man roster.
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2021
2020
Shoulder discomfort in March lingered into summer camp, costing Kuhnel a chance to make the Reds' Opening Day roster. He ended up joining the club a couple times and totaling three appearances. It is essentially meaningless as a sample, but clearly the Reds did not like what they at the alternate site as they outrighted Kuhnel to Triple-A in October of 2020 after he cleared waivers. Kuhnel was used as a closer on the farm, collecting double-digit saves at three different levels, but it's unrealistic to think he could fill that role in the majors. Kuhnel will be focused simply on staying healthy and trying to get back onto the 40-man in 2021.
Kuhnel has enjoyed a relatively rapid rise to the majors, riding a breakout 2018 campaign in High-A ball to his first cup of coffee in the majors last season. Standing 6-foot-5 and armed with a mid-90s fastball capable of touching triple digits, Kuhnel fits a closer's profile and has saved 32 games over his last two minor-league seasons. His ability to throw heat hasn't yet translated to overwhelming strikeout numbers -- he has averaged less than a strikeout per inning in the minors -- but the potential is certainly there, and he did whiff nine batters in his 9.2 big-league innings last season. Kuhnel also offers better-than-average command as he has registered a 1.7 BB/9 across four minor-league campaigns. A strong spring training could help Kuhnel land a spot on the Opening Day roster, and it's not infeasible that he could soon be used in high-leverage situations given Cincinnati's shaky bullpen.
More Fantasy News
Added to big-league roster
PHouston Astros  AAA
April 12, 2024
The Astros selected Kuhnel's contract from Triple-A Sugar Land on Friday, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle reports.
ANALYSIS
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Returns to Astros as NRI
PHouston Astros  AAA
January 29, 2024
Kuhnel signed a minor-league contract with the Astros on Monday that includes an invitation to spring training, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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Elects free agency
PFree Agent  AAA
January 19, 2024
Kuhnel elected free agency Jan. 13.
ANALYSIS
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Sent outright to Triple-A
PHouston Astros  AAA
January 11, 2024
Kuhnel cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sugar Land on Wednesday.
ANALYSIS
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Designated for assignment
PHouston Astros  AAA
January 4, 2024
Kuhnel was designated for assignment by the Astros on Thursday, Chandler Rome of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
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