WORCESTER — In what’s at least somewhat of a surprise, veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle remains at Triple-A nearly eight weeks into the regular season.
It isn’t a matter of performance for Kahnle, who after signing a minor league deal with the Red Sox at the end of spring training has logged a 1.88 ERA in 14 ⅓ innings. There has been a need, too, with Justin Slaten missing a month due to a hamstring issue and other righties (Greg Weissert and Ryan Watson) struggling in the early parts of the season. Still, though, Kahnle has not gotten the call to the majors. The affable 36-year-old is taking that in stride.
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“It’s been great,” Kahnle said, smiling, Tuesday at Polar Park. “I’m just kinda the old guy in the clubhouse, taking it day-by-day and showing these guys you come in with a good routine and good attitude every day. It’s the same game we’ve played our whole lives.
“I’ve been like this forever,” he continued. “I really started to learn, probably around 30-ish, gravitating toward and watching the older guys and how they go about it... I’ve had a great time.”
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Kahnle finds himself in an unfamiliar place this May after being a stalwart in major league bullpens since 2014. Other than rehab outings, he hasn’t been in the minors since 2018, when the Yankees sent him to Triple-A to rehab. After breaking out with strong seasons for the White Sox in 2016 and 2017, he was traded to the Yankees where he was up-and-down as a late-inning option from 2017-2019. He underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2020, missed all of 2021 and returned stronger than ever in Los Angeles, where he logged a 2.84 ERA in 13 games down the stretch in 2022. In 2023 and 2024, Kahnle was back in New York as one of the best relievers in the American League and posted a 2.38 ERA while striking out 94 batters in 83 ⅓ regular season innings.
Kahnle signed with the Tigers for 2025 and logged a 1.77 ERA in 35 ⅔ innings through June 29. In the second half of the season, he was hit so hard (7.90 ERA) that he had to settle for a minor league deal at the end of March after pitching well for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. Kahnle made a late push for a spot in the Red Sox bullpen but Boston chose to keep Watson (a Rule 5 pick) and Johan Oviedo (as a long relief option) over him. Kahnle went to Worcester to continue his attempt to earn a spot.
With the WooSox, Kahnle has tried something different than he had in recent years. After being basically a changeup-only pitcher — he threw the pitch 85.6% of the time with Detroit last year and around 75% in the three years before that — Kahnle, at the organization’s urging, has worked with a more complete arsenal.
“I was so over that,” he joked. “It’s nice to use the fastball again.”
So far, in a 248-pitch sample, Kahnle has thrown his changeup 62.5%, a four-seam fastball 32.7% and a previously non-existent slider 4.8% of the time. He’s throwing the fastball, which averaged 93.5 mph last season, much more.
“I like how the heater has looked,” Kahnle said. “Been throwing more sliders and fastballs. I like the mix, so I’ve been having a good time with that.”
Mickey Gasper, who caught Kahnle in Worcester before being called up to the majors in mid-May, said: “His changeup is still fantastic, but he’s able to three-pitch mix it right now. His slider I think plays really well. It’s deceptive from how people scout him looking for that changeup — where it starts. A lot of people shut it down before they can pull the trigger on it. I think his slider’s really playing up and his fastball velo is still there."
Ironically, the bread-and-butter of Kahnle’s arsenal has been the biggest issue so far, at least in his mind. In all, Kahnle has allowed four runs (three earned) while allowing 13 hits in 14 ⅓ innings. While he has struck out nearly a hitter per inning (14), he has also walked eight batters in that span.
“I would say, it’s ‘not bad,’” he said of his performance. “Me, I’m pretty critical of myself so I think there’s definitely way more room for improvement, especially changeup-wise. I feel like (the changeup) hasn’t been that on.”
As a free agent who didn’t arrive in camp until March 19, Kahnle didn’t sign with much contractual leverage. The Red Sox were able to send him to the minors with no issue at the beginning of the season and once again retained him on May 1, when Kahnle triggered an “assignment clause” that allowed him to offer his services to the 29 other major league clubs. None of those clubs opted to add him to their active roster, so the Red Sox kept him in Triple-A.
Things could change in the next couple weeks, though, because Kahnle has a June 1 opt-out that allows him to test free agency, if he chooses, with no limitations. That date is fast-approaching.
“Obviously, it’s in the back of my mind but I have no idea where I’m going to be,” Kahnle said. “I couldn’t tell you.”
For now, Kahnle is enjoying life in the minors, especially in Worcester, which is two hours from his home in upstate New York. He goes home each Sunday night and spends a couple days with his wife and two young kids before rejoining the WooSox for their next series, which starts on Tuesdays. The mentor role suits Kahnle, too.
“Obviously, the venues are smaller and stuff like that, but to be honest, I always loved playing in the minor leagues when I was coming up and never had a problem with it,” he said. “It’s fun to be back, to be honest. Just trying to have fun with it and show these guys it’s fun down here.”
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