The Pittsburgh Pirates gave an update on injured pitcher Chad Kuhl today.
In the run-up to today’s game against the Minnesota Twins, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ medical staff provided an update on Chad Kuhl:
The Pirates hope to have Chad Kuhl begin a throwing program during their upcoming homestand. The goal is still to have him pitch "meaningful innings in September for the big league club," Tomczyk said.
— Adam Berry (@adamdberry) August 15, 2018
With the club having made the big splash at the trade deadline with the Chris Archer acquisition, as well as Trevor Williams taking a huge step forward, questioning Kuhl’s future with the Pittsburgh Pirates is now entirely fair.
Is he a starter?
The eons-old debate surrounding Chad Kuhl has always been whether or not he could hold up as a starting pitcher.
Certainly, his pitch mix this season compared to years previous shows that he can effectively throw a variety of pitches:
However, the times through the order penalty is very pronounced for Kuhl. according to batting average against:
Of these pitches, Kuhl’s slider faces the least scrutiny when held up for a third time through, yet his sinker and four-seam are beat up a little bit regardless.
One could easily make the argument that Kuhl has not yet found the correct sequencing to make these pitches work as a starting pitcher. That may very well be true, but it would likely take more than just sequencing to get Kuhl’s four-seamer right.
What about a relief role?
As things stand right now, the Pittsburgh Pirates do not carry a reliever suited for a “long man” type of role.
Kuhl might be able to fill that void, yet many might feel this to be a waste of his “stuff.”
However, should the Pirates feel that Kuhl’s future is as a reliever, there is really no other slot for him in this suddenly crowded pen, save for a complete meltdown from Edgar Santana or Richard Rodriguez.
Still, it is an intriguing thought to think what Kuhl might be able to do with a pared down pitch selection — he would likely drop his changeup and curveball in a relief scenario — and a simplified approach.
No matter the path that the Pittsburgh Pirates take, Kuhl has the raw talent to contribute to this club for the next few years at the very least.
Finding the right spot for him might be the easiest way to maximizing that talent.
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