Joel Kuhnel (shoulder) gets four outs in Triple-A

There was little incentive for San Francisco to commit a roster spot to a journeyman reliever at the outset of the offseason. Kuhnel spent time with three different clubs this past season, converting a career-high eight saves to accompany a pedestrian 4.40 ERA across 45 innings of work. There should be another opportunity out there for him this offseason.

Kuhnel was summoned in the eighth inning with two outs and the bases loaded to protect a two-run lead. He got out of the jam with a flyout, then returned for the ninth and gave up a run on two hits before holding on for his seventh save, first with the Giants.

The 31-year-old right-hander had a 6.52 ERA in 9 2/3 innings with the Brewers and a 4.21 ERA in 25 2/3 innings with the Athletics earlier this year. He managed a 1.64 ERA working out of Triple-A Nashville’s pen in 11 appearances there. It seems likely he’ll get another major league shot in San Francisco, though he’s by no means pitched well enough in the bigs to say for sure that he’ll stick.

Kuhnel loses his spot on Milwaukee’s 40-man roster after wrapping up a minor league rehab assignment. He’s been on the shelf with a shoulder impingement since early July. There’s a chance another team out there brings him in as emergency relief depth. He tossed 5 1/3 scoreless frames for the Brewers after being acquired from the Athletics in early June.

Apart from the Brewers witchcraft in adding about three ticks to Kuhnel’s sinker, they’re now using him in high leverage. This was his second straight outing where he recorded a save and he literally saved the day in the eighth inning after the Reds scratched four runs across against Grant Anderson and Craig Yoho to make this a one-run game. Kuhnel calmed everything down that inning before loading the bases in the ninth and getting out of it with a timely double play. He has quickly moved into the circle of trust, but be advised that all of Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Aaron Ashby had just worked two days in a row prior to this game, so at best Kuhnel is still captain of the B-team bullpen.

It seems Drew Rom’s stay in the Milwaukee pen could be very brief. Kuhnel was DFA’d by the A’s on Friday after blowing a save chance on Thursday. The 31-year-old journeyman had a 4.21 ERA, four saves and a 14/6 K/BB in 25 2/3 innings for the A’s. He’s out of options, so he’ll go right on to the major league roster.

The 31-year-old hurler came on with a three-run lead to protect in the ninth inning against the Cubs on Thursday afternoon and gave up four runs on five hits to take the loss. That appears to have been the final nail in his coffin. Kuhnel posted a respectable 4.21 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and a 14/6 K/BB ratio over 25 2/3 innings while notching four saves in 25 appearances for the A’s. He shouldn’t be out of work for long.

Kuhnel’s first save chance since Apr. 20 was a complete bust, though not actually a blown save. That went to Luis Medina, who came in with two on and the lead down to one and then gave up back-to-back singles to end things. Still, this was all Kuhnel’s mess. He was the Athletics’ early season saves leader despite opening up in the minors, but there’s a reason he hadn’t had any chances in a long time. He shouldn’t see another any day soon.

After finishing off a four-run lead last night, Perkins gave up two singles and a double today to blow his second save chance in two tries this month. This might take him out of the mix for a spell, increasing the chances that Joel Kuhnel and Scott Barlow could wind up with saves. Barlow pitched a scoreless eighth today for his eighth hold.

Joel Kuhnel got five outs between the eighth and ninth tonight, but since it was 5-1 when he entered, he wasn’t in line for a save. Leiter came in with one on in a 5-2 game in the ninth and walked Isaac Collins before striking out Jac Caglianone to end the game. It’s his third save, but he has a 6.23 ERA and seems to be only a minor part of the Athletics’’ closer-by-committee situation at the moment.