For the second time this season, the Boston Red Sox face a decision point with veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle, who signed a minor league deal with Boston in February.
Kahnle has spent the entire season so far in Triple-A, with enough success to justify a promotion (1.40 ERA, 21 strikeouts and 11 walks over 19.1 innings, no runs allowed since April 17) . He had an upward mobility clause in his contract that he triggered on May 1, but opted to stay with the Red Sox organization, even though he wasn't promoted.
On June 1, Kahnle can trigger an opt-out clause to explore free agency if he isn't added to the 40-man roster, which he "100 percent" plans to do, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The Red Sox don't have an easy, obvious demotion candidate on their roster, but one stands out above the others.
Ryan Watson has struggled since his major league debut with Boston this season. He's posted a 5.35 ERA, a 1.46 WHIP, 29 strikeouts, 14 walks and one hold over 33.2 innings out of the bullpen. His 9.3 walk percentage is below average, as his 19.2 strikeout percentage, and his xERA (7.02) and xBA (.303) rank in the second and third percentiles, respectively.
Red Sox could move on from Ryan Watson to keep Tommy Kahnle after opt-out date, but the move comes at a cost
Watson's troubles limiting damage have been long-term, although he's improved in recent weeks. He logged a 7.07 ERA over 11 appearances and April and he's dropped to a 3.94 ERA over eight outings (16 innings) in May, which could give the Sox another reason to want to hang onto him.
The Red Sox can't move on from Watson that easily. They traded for him from the Athletics, who selected him as a Rule 5 Draft pick from the San Francisco Giants — given his Rule 5 status, the Red Sox can't demote Watson without first offering him back to the Giants. If San Francisco took him back, Boston would be down a righty reliever, which is a rough loss, especially with Garrett Whitlock on the injured list.
Kahnle could make up for that loss if the Red Sox were willing to take a risk on a rebound candidate. The veteran has performed well in Triple-A so far, but he's fresh off an implosion in the second half of last season with the Detroit Tigers. He had a 1.77 ERA through June 29, but allowed 16 runs over 7.1 innings last July and never fully recovered.
Kahnle could be a solid veteran addition to the bullpen if he maintains his success from his early stint in Triple-A, and revamped arsenal could make him a worthy threat (subscription required). Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy managed Kahnle at the start of the season when he was in Worcester, which could encourage Boston to make a move to keep Kahnle, but it's running out of time.
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