MLB free agency: The top 5 players who were non-tendered

2. Chad Kuhl

A Pittsburgh Pirate for the past five seasons, Chad Kuhl does not possess many traits that will jump off the page and make him stand out. He is, however, a relatively reliable and durable pitcher that virtually any team could use.

Kuhl, 29, has functioned as both a long relief option and a starting pitcher since his debut in 2016 for Pittsburgh. Despite missing all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Kuhl gave the Pirates an innings-eater that could be relied on to take the mound every fifth day until midway through the 2021 season.

In 2021 Kuhl was placed on the COVID-19 injured list in August and upon his return the Pirates opted to try him out of the bullpen, where he would stay for the remainder of the season. Even as his fellow Pirates pitchers continued to go down with injuries, the club made it clear that Kuhl was not going to be a rotation option for the rest of the year. That was a move that the right-hander did not seem to fully agree with.

"“I think it was more about what they wanted to see out of me (as a reliever),” Kuhl said Tuesday. “Whether I agree with it or not, it’s just one of those things I can’t control. It’s gonna be their decision moving forward. They’ve communicated to me that this will be my role until the end of the year, no matter what happens with the (rotation).”"

Chad Kuhl actually looked good out of the Pirates bullpen in 2021, although his numbers are inflated by a five-run outing where he gave up two home runs in only a third of an inning. Kuhl is a flexible pitcher that can come out of the bullpen or give teams innings out of the rotation. He, like Boyd, will surely be on a Major League club in 2022.