More than two years before wondering where his career should go after doctors reconfigured his mangled right elbow, Kuhl will be Pittsburgh’s opening start in Chicago on Thursday when the Pirates battle the Cubs.
The 28-year-old is the longest-serving starter of a largely inexperienced and largely anonymous staff. The void that Jameson Taillon, Joe Musgrove, Trevor Williams and Chris Archer left behind is palpable. Kuhl knows he’ll play an important role in trying to fill it.
« We’re talking about the guys who left and there’s a lot of leadership, a lot of innings, a lot of youth on this team, » said he. “That adds to the leadership that me and (Steven) Brault and these guys are trying to take on. It’s all about leading by example and doing the right things. «
Kuhl underwent reconstructive elbow surgery in September 2018. He missed all of 2019 and was mostly treated with kid gloves last summer when he finally returned to the majors. According to speculation, he would be taken to the bullpen and instead worked his way up back into rotation.
The right-hander went up to 2-3 in 11 games with 4.27 ERA, nine of which started with restrictive pitch counts. Kuhl threw 46 1/3 innings in the pandemic-shortened season despite calling He limited the Cubs to two hits over seven innings on his last start.
He was Pittsburgh’s most consistent pitcher during spring training despite only doing eight innings, as long as he was at Wrigley Field on the April Fool’s joke the leash is unclear.
« I’m sure there’s a number, but I haven’t got that in the back of my mind at all, » said Kuhl. « It’s just that I’m rough I’ll go and serve until (Manager Derek) Shelton takes the ball. «
It was a whirlwind for Kuhl for a couple of weeks. His wife, Amanda, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a boy named Hudson, on March 19. « Now we come full circle to be called the inaugural starter, » said Kuhl. « It’s a blessing. Outside of baseball, having a son means the world. It’s just great. »
It could also be a little scared. Kuhl is the fifth opening day starter for Pittsburgh in as many years. He saw Taillon, Musgrove, and former teammates Ivan Nova and Gerrit Cole all set off for Game 1 in what turned out to be a fleeting moment of appreciation before they left town.
Kuhl isn’t worried about, however the future. Given the path he’s taken to get to this point, he doesn’t take anything for granted.
« The biggest part is looking at all of the matchups in the league and being one of them is just really cool Experience as a fan of the game, « he said. « Of course you take it all in and enjoy it, but as soon as the game starts it will be another ball game as usual and you go out and compete. »
Kevin Newman, who hits .645 during spring training, struck Erik Gonzalez as a shortstop on the opening day. … Pittsburgh has chosen RHP Jeff Hartlieb as an option and reassigned Brian Goodwin, IF Wilmer Difo, RHP Chase De Jong, LHP Chasen Shreve and RHP Steven Wright, who was signed last week.
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