Houston Astros Recall Kuhnel For More Bullpen Help

The Houston Astros continue their revolving door from Triple-A Sugar Land as they look for fresh arms for their over-taxed bullpen.

Mar 14, 2024; West Palm Beach, Florida, USA; Houston Astros pitcher Joel Kuhnel (92) pitches in the / Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros have recalled right-handed pitcher Joel Kuhnel from Triple-A Sugar Land for Friday’s game with the Texas Rangers, according to multiple reports.

The make room the Astros sent pitcher Parker Mushinski back to Triple-A, per the MLB Transactions log. The Astros also designated pitcher Wander Suero for assignment.

The Astros are in a personnel crunch in the bullpen after a series sweep at the hands of the Kansas City Royals.

On Wednesday, Spencer Arrighetti made his Major League debut and was only able to get through three innings before the Astros had to go to the bullpen.

Then, on Thursday, Hunter Brown became the first pitcher in Major League history to give up 11 hits and be unable to get out of the first inning, which severely overtaxed the Astros’ bullpen.

Kuhnel hasn’t yet pitched in the Majors this year, but he’s been in the bigs since 2019 with the Cincinnati Reds. In 76 relief appearances he is 4-3 with a 6.02 ERA.

The Reds traded Kuhnel to Houston last June and he went back and forth between Sugar Land and Houston. In seven appearances with the Astros he had a 4.66 ERA.

Mushinski went back up to Houston on Tuesday, just four days after he was optioned back to Sugar Land, when the Astros placed starter Framber Valdez on the injured list.

He threw 2.2 innings against Kansas City on Wednesday, giving up three hits and three earned runs while walking two. In three games with the Astros this season he has an 11.25 ERA, and in 24 career appearances with Houston he has a 5.88 ERA.

In addition to Valdez, the Astors have four other starters on the injured list — Justin Verlander, Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr.