After spending the first third of the season in the minor leagues, Tommy Kahnle will join the Boston Red Sox. On June 4, Boston finally decided to give Kahnle a roster spot after he triggered the second opt-out clause in his contract.
Kahnle triggered the assignment clause on his minor league deal ahead of the May 1 deadline but he opted to stick with the Red Sox organization. This time, he said he'll "100 percent" check out free agency if he isn't promoted. Kahnle has pitched so well in Triple-A, it'd be hard to let him walk. The Red Sox are still working on a corresponding move to find him a spot, per multiple sources.
Update: Tyler Samaniego has been optioned and Trevor Story has been placed on the 60-day IL, (per Ari Alexander of 7News Boston WHDH).
Kahnle has posted a 1.40 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 21 strikeouts and 11 walks over 19.1 innings with the WooSox. He hasn't allowed a run since April 17 and he's given up just one hit over his last five appearances. Kahnle has been throwing his hallmark changeup less and it's been working.
The Sox have a few options to fit Kahnle on the roster. Trevor Story and Garrett Crochet are both 60-day injured list candidates. Story underwent sports hernia surgery and expects to be out of commission for eight-to-12 weeks.
Red Sox finally activate veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle after months in Triple-A
Crochet last week experienced a slight setback in his recovery due to a low-grade lat strain. The Red Sox didn't give an updated timeline for his recovery, but he's already been on the IL for about 40 days with a lot of building up and a rehab assignment ahead of him.
The Red Sox are hopeful that Garrett Whitlock will be ready to come off the IL next week, after the minimum 15-day stint. Then, they'll have to decide who to move off the roster if they stick with Kahnle. Ryan Watson could be an option, but he was a Rule 5 Draft pick, so Boston would have to offer him back to his former team and risk losing him rather than sending someone straight to Triple-A.
Kahnle will be one of few veterans on this Red Sox team and fans are excited to see him get a shot after all his success in Triple-A. It would be a shame if Boston let him walk and he pitched really well somewhere else, like a division rival experiencing bullpen troubles. Craig Breslow can't afford another one of those this year.
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