11:18am: Boston officially optioned Kahnle’s contract to Triple-A Worcester. On the left Tyler Samaniego elected to go to Worcester to open an active roster spot. Striker Trevor’s storywho had hernia surgery last month, is moving to the 60-day IL to clear a roster spot.
9:20am: The Red Sox plan to pick up the veteran right-hander’s contract Tommy Kahnle from Triple-A Worcester, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. He is expected to be available without the Bulls today. Boston will need to clear a 40-man roster spot to accommodate Kahnle, though that can be accomplished without assigning anyone; Garrett Crochet stands as an obvious candidate for the 60-day IL. He has been on the shelf for 40 days and was recently diagnosed with a low-grade lat strain that will extend his absence.
Kahnle, 36, signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox in free agency. He didn’t get a major league opportunity when he activated his leadoff clause in early May, but he reportedly planned to test whether the Red Sox would opt him out of the roster after activating his opt-out clause on June 1. The Sox had until today to make a decision on that clause, and apparently they will bring a veteran change into the big league bullpen.
In 19 1/3 innings with the WooSox this season, Kahnle has reached a pristine 1.40 earned run average. He struck out 25.3% of his opponents, though his 13.3% walk rate is an obvious red flag. Kahnle hasn’t offered much in the way of hard contact – average exit velocity of 88 mph, 38% slugging percentage, only one barrel allowed – but he’s also benefited from not allowing a single home run this season. That’s not sustainable for any pitcher, but the Sox saw enough to bring him to the majors anyway.
Kahnle averaged 93 mph in his four-seamer at Triple-A this season. That would be a career low mark for him, just shy of both his lifetime 95.8 mph and last year’s average of 93.5 mph. His fastball is a second pitch to him anyway, though; Kahnle relies on his changeup more than any pitcher in the game. He famously threw 61 straight changeups with the Yankees during the 2024 offseason and, in fact, threw his changeup at a whopping 63.4% clip in Worcester this season.
Although Kahnle had a mediocre season by his standards in Detroit last year (4.43 ERA, 18.7 K%, 11.1 BB%), he has a long history of pitching an effective inning. From 2016-24, he threw 271 1/3 innings of 3.11 ERA ball between the White Sox, Yankees and Dodgers. He’s had several injuries along the way — hence the low innings total over that stretch — but he’s pitched at least 45 innings (majors and minors combined) over the past three seasons and is on track to do so again in 2026. Kahnle’s career from 2022-24 was impressive 3, 24, ERA, 24, 9: 3, 9: four saves, 27.7% strikeout rate, 10.5% walk rate.
The Red Sox don’t need help. The Boston bullpen’s 3.08 ERA on the season is the third-best mark in the entire sport, trailing only the Mariners (3.01) and Braves (2.99). That number is a little skewed Brian BelloA lot of work behind the starters (0.71 ERA, 25 innings), but the team has been strong throughout. That said, the Sox made room Garrett Whitlock (3.20 ERA) on the injured list late last month, and they’ve gotten some shaky pitches from the walk-ons. Tyron Guerrero again Danny Coulombe – none of them can be chosen. That lack of options could put them at risk on the roster to accommodate Kahnle, who would keep the Crochet move the next time the Sox need a 40-man cap.
