Braves Ink Ex-Rival's Pitcher to Minor League Contract

Just Baseball's Aram Leighton reported the Atlanta Braves signed a veteran right-handed starting pitcher to a minor league contract on Feb. 5.

Former Washington Nationals pitcher Chad Kuhl / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

He's not Garrett Crochet or Dylan Cease. But the Atlanta Braves added a former Chicago White Sox pitcher this week.

Just Baseball's Aram Leighton reported on Feb. 5 the Braves signed right-hander Chad Kuhl to a minor league contract.

In addition to the White Sox, Kuhl formerly pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Colorado Rockies and Washington Nationals.

Kuhl showed promise as a young pitcher with the Pirates in 2016 and 2017. At the time, Pittsburgh was hopeful he'd be a solution in the middle of their rotation with other starters such as Tyler Glasnow and Jameson Tallion becoming aces.

In 2017, Kuhl posted an 8-11 record with a 4.35 ERA, 1.468 WHIP and 142 strikeouts in 157.1 innings. But in part because of injuries, he never built on that campaign with the Pirates.

Since leaving Pittsburgh, Kuhl hasn't registered an ERA below 5.00 in a season. During his lone season in the NL East, Kuhl went 0-4 with an 8.45 ERA and 1.957 WHIP in 16 appearances with the Nationals. Those 16 appearances included five starts.

Last season, Kuhl made one start along with 30 relief appearances. He posted an 0-2 record with a 5.06 ERA, 1.519 WHIP and 54 strikeouts in 53.1 innings.

If Kuhl pitches well during Spring Training, there's room for him to carve out a role with the Braves at the MLB level. Atlanta could enter the regular season with questions about its depth in the starting rotation and bullpen.

Kuhl could push Ian Anderson, Grant Holmes, Bryce Elder and others for a bottom spot in the Braves rotation. But more realistically, Atlanta could utilize Kuhl as a long reliever in low leverage situations.

Jesse Chavez held that role with the Braves the past few seasons, but he signed with Texas Rangers on Jan. 27.

Over his eight-year MLB career, Kuhl owns a 4.98 ERA, 1.486 WHIP, 9.1 strikeouts and 4.2 walks per nine innings in 174 appearances.