The Tommy Kahnle experiment comes to an end for the Boston Red Sox. Chris Cotillo of MassLive reports that the right-hander will elect free agency.
That puts an official end to Kahnle’s tenure with the Red Sox, which lasted less than a month. In eight relief appearances, he pitched to an ERA of 8.00. He allowed 12 hits, walked six, and struck out five.
Kahnle, 36, signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox during Spring Training. He pitched his way back to the major leagues after a solid run with Triple-A Worcester.
The veteran right-hander joined the Red Sox’s bullpen on June 4. Kahnle had a June 1 opt-out as an Article XX(B) free agent and intended to trigger it.
He pitched scoreless baseball in his first four appearances with the team. But then he surrendered runs in his final four outings for Boston, including a four-run disaster against the Washington Nationals on June 30.
That appearance was the final straw. With a looming roster crunch involving the pitching staff in the wake of Connelly Early’s elbow injury, the Red Sox needed a 40-man spot. That resulted in Kahnle getting designated for assignment.
The Red Sox had seven days to either trade, release, or outright Kahnle. In the case of a 36-year-old in the twilight phase of his career, his exit from the club was imminent.
The right-hander likely passed through waivers, with no team claiming him. With the amount of service time he’s accrued over the years, Kahnle had the option to reject an outright assignment and become a free agent while keeping his $1.5 million salary.
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