Marlins Designate Chris Paddack For Assignment
1:08pm: The Marlins have now officially announced the Paddack and Kempner moves.
8:22am: The Marlins are designating veteran righty Chris Paddack for assignment, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The team has yet to formally announce the move or a corresponding transaction, but Christina DeNicola of MLB.com reports that reliever William Kempner will be recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville. It’s Kempner’s first big league promotion. He’ll be making his MLB debut when he gets into a game.
It’s a hook on the 30-year-old Paddack, who signed a one-year, $4MM deal to return to the organization that originally drafted him (but traded him to the Padres in a 2016 swap for reliever Fernando Rodney). The hope had been that Paddack could provide some stable innings following offseason trades of Ryan Weathers (to the Yankees) and Edward Cabrera (to the Cubs). He looked great this spring (two runs, 13 innings pitched) but was shelled in seven regular season appearances with Miami (six of them starts).
Paddack only completed five frames once in his return to the Marlins organization: a quality start against his former Tigers teammates in Detroit (six innings, two runs). He allowed at least two runs in fewer than five innings each other time he took the mount, including a trio of appearances that saw him tagged for five, seven and eight runs apiece. His time with the Fish will draw to a close with a 7.63 ERA, an 18.5% strikeout rate and a 6.8% walk rate in 30 2/3 innings.
A former top prospect, Paddack debuted with a 3.33 ERA in 140 2/3 innings for the 2019 Padres. He’d have been a Rookie of the Year finalist, if not winner, in most seasons, but he happened to be up against Pete Alonso‘s 53-homer debut, Michael Soroka‘s 174 2/3 innings of 2.68 ERA ball, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Bryan Reynolds; excellent as Paddack’s debut was, he didn’t even receive a down-ballot vote.
Injuries have held Paddack back in the years since. He missed time with a UCL sprain in 2021 and then underwent his second career Tommy John surgery — his first came as a prospect — with the Twins in 2022. His 2024 season was cut short by a forearm strain.
In 471 2/3 innings since his terrific debut campaign, Paddack has posted a 5.23 ERA. He regularly shows strong command but has never missed bats at the same level he did as a rookie. He’s also been far too homer-prone, serving up an average of 1.55 round-trippers per nine frames from 2020-26.
It’s fair to wonder how many more rotation opportunities Paddack will get. He struggled out of the rotation more often than not in Minnesota, and the Tigers dropped him to the bullpen after just seven starts last summer following a trade to acquire him. The Marlins, obviously, are moving on in quick fashion.
Perhaps another club with a pile of rotation injuries will plug Paddack into its starting five when he’s inevitably released, but other clubs will surely be interested in what he might look like as a reliever. When Paddack returned from his second Tommy John procedure with the Twins late in the 2023 season, he pitched 8 2/3 innings between the regular season and postseason, allowing three runs with a 14-to-1 K/BB ratio. He looked particularly dominant in the postseason, and his typically 93 mph four-seamer was averaging 95.5 mph. He was hit hard out of the Detroit ‘pen last year, but they were using him as a long man, and not the short-relief role in which he excelled during that brief, post-surgery run with the Twins.
For the time being, the Marlins will have five days to trade Paddack or release him. (They could also place him on outright waivers, but he’d surely clear due to his salary and struggles, and Paddack has enough service time to reject an outright assignment while retaining his remaining guaranteed salary.) It’s possible they’ll find a taker who’s willing to pay a nominal portion of that guarantee, but the most common outcome in these scenarios is a simple release. The Marlins will remain on the hook for that $4MM salary. A new team would owe Paddack just the pro-rated league minimum for any time spent on the major league roster.
As for the 24-year-old Kempner, he came to the Marlins in a Jan. 2025 swap that sent international bonus pool space back to the Giants. The 2022 third-round pick had a big season in the minors last year between High-A, Double-A and Triple-A, combining for a 2.26 ERA with a 33.6% strikeout rate in 67 2/3 frames of relief. Command is a clear flaw, as Kempner walked 14.1% of his opponents along the way.
Kempner was selected to the 40-man roster back in November, thus shielding him from December’s Rule 5 Draft. He’s out to a tough start in ’26, with a 6.46 ERA in his first 15 1/3 frames at Triple-A. However, he’s fanned a preposterous 47.9% of opponents and allowed only a 63.8% contact rate. Kempner sits 95.5 mph with his heater and pairs it with a low-80s slider. He has a seldom-used cutter for a third offering but is primarily a two-pitch righty.
Kempner gives Miami a fresh arm for the next few days. Paddack’s spot in the rotation would be up this weekend. De Nicola lists Braxton Garrett and top prospect Robby Snelling as options to step into the rotation. Both pitchers have sub-2.00 ERAs with strong strikeout rates (Snelling in particular) but poor walk rates through their first handful of starts in Jacksonville.
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Braves Designate Carlos Carrasco For Assignment
The Braves announced Tuesday that veteran righty Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment. His spot on the roster goes to closer Raisel Iglesias, who has been reinstated from the 15-day injured list.
It’s the second time this season Atlanta has designated Carrasco for assignment. He seems quite amenable to being used as a de facto 41st man on the roster — being selected to the majors when an extra arm is needed, then riding the DFA carousel and re-signing a new minor league deal when he’s outrighted or released. He’s now been designated for assignment by the Braves three times dating back to last August. Each time he’s cleared waivers and re-signed. It’s the same gambit we saw with Atlanta and Jesse Chavez late in his career. Plenty of other clubs have done this with out-of-options pitchers in recent years as well (e.g. Mariners/Casey Lawrence, Yankees/Ryan Weber).
Carrasco has pitched in two games with the Braves this year. He’s logged 2 1/3 innings and held opponents scoreless on one hit and no walks with a pair of strikeouts. The former Cleveland ace has pitched well in Triple-A, too, tossing 21 innings (four starts) with a 1.71 earned run average.
At 39 years old, Carrasco is a good bet to again pass through waivers and return to Triple-A Gwinnett — whether by accepting an outright assignment or becoming a free agent and quickly re-signing, as he did after his most recent DFA in mid-April. Teams are typically very open and straightforward with veterans in this type of situation, so Carrasco is surely on board with the setup. It’s feasible that he’ll continue to pitch well enough that a team will eventually claim him off waivers, although in that scenario, he still makes out nicely, as he gets to stick in the big leagues and collect a major league paycheck even longer.
The Braves also noted that lefty Dylan Dodd is heading out on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett. Shortstop Ha-Seong Kim‘s rehab assignment has been moved from Double-A to Triple-A as well. Both are on the mend and should be activated before too much longer.
MLB Issues Three-Game Suspension To Chris Devenski
Major League Baseball announced Tuesday that Pirates righty Chris Devenski has been given a three-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for what the league believes to have been intentionally throwing at Reds infielder Sal Stewart in Saturday’s game. That will go into effect tonight, unless Devenski files an appeal. He’d remain eligible to pitch while the appeal process plays out. Pittsburgh skipper Don Kelly also received a one-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. He’s expected to serve his suspension tonight.
The incident Saturday occurred in a game the Pirates led 15-to-6 (video link). Stewart stepped into the batter’s box and called time just as Devenski was coming set. He stepped out briefly, and upon digging back in was greeted with a 92 mph waist-high sinker that tailed inside and nearly hit Stewart. Although he managed to jump out of the way, Stewart was clearly perturbed and barked at Devenski, who walked several steps toward home plate. The umpiring crew convened and ultimately ejected Devenski, prompting an angry visit from Kelly.
“Going hard in to start an at-bat,” Devenski said after the game when asked about the ejection (video link). “I know the guy likes to dive over [the plate]. That’s about it. Just trying to execute my pitch there, and I think he took it the wrong way. It is what it is, but I’m not going to back down from anything, either.”
Devenski plainly stated that the pitch wasn’t intentionally thrown at Stewart. “[I’ve] been around the game a long time … If I was going to do anything like that…” Devenski trailed off with a light chuckle, seemingly implying that the location might’ve been different had there been true intent behind the pitch. “Not in that situation. Just trying to get outs,” he added.
The Pirates only selected Devenski to the major league roster last Friday. He’d been pitching in Triple-A Indianapolis on a minor league contract and pitching quite well, allowing just one run with a 15-to-2 K/BB ratio in 10 2/3 innings. He’s pitched 2 2/3 frames with the big league club and allowed a pair of runs on five hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
Time will tell whether Devenski appeals and whether the suspension holds up. If he opts not to appeal, the Pirates will play a man down for the next three games. On the plus side, the ‘pen is very fresh after Braxton Ashcraft worked 7 2/3 brilliant innings Sunday and the team had an off day yesterday.
Tigers To Sign Paul DeJong
9:15am: DeJong would earn a prorated $1MM base salary in the majors, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports.
8:38am: The Tigers and veteran infielder Paul DeJong have agreed to a minor league contract, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The C.L. Rocks client recently opted out of a minor league deal with the Yankees.
DeJong, 32, is a veteran of nine big league seasons. The slick-fielding, righty-swinging shortstop can handle any infield position at an average or better level. At the plate, he’s a strikeout-prone, low-OBP hitter with above-average power. DeJong has taken exactly 3500 plate appearances in the majors and slashed .229/.294/.416 with 146 home runs, fanning at a 27.9% clip against a below-average 7.1% walk rate.
Though he only took 83 plate appearances with the Yankees’ top affiliate in Scranton, DeJong popped six home runs in that short time. He also drew walks at a huge 19% clip. However, he hit only .203, leading to an oddball slash line of .203/.361/.516 during his relatively short stint in the Yankees organization.
DeJong has played in each of the past nine big league seasons. Last year’s 208 plate appearances with the Nationals were the fewest he’s logged in a 162-game season, though his playing time was hindered by a frightening injury early in the season, wherein DeJong took an errant fastball to the face. He suffered facial fractures and lacerations, ultimately spending about two months on the shelf. DeJong hit .228/.269/.373 with only six homers last year, but a year prior he ripped 24 long balls in semi-regular work for the White Sox and Royals while slashing .227/.276/.427.
The Tigers aren’t immediately adding DeJong to the big league roster, though it wouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him get a look before long. Javier Báez, Zach McKinstry and Trey Sweeney are all on the injured list (the latter on the 60-day IL). Rookie Kevin McGonigle has seized an everyday role while splitting time between third base and shortstop. Gleyber Torres is locked in at second base. Colt Keith is playing third base frequently — particularly against right-handed pitching.
That doesn’t leave much room for regular playing time, but Detroit’s bench currently features journeyman Zack Short and rookie Hao-Yu Lee. Short is hitless through his first three plate appearances, which isn’t a concern for any batter in and of itself, but he’s a lifetime .171/.269/.295 hitter in 597 big league plate appearances (including a prior stint in Detroit). It’s not reasonable to expect him to provide even DeJong’s modest levels of offense at the plate. Lee, meanwhile, has struggled in a part-time role. If the Tigers want to get the 23-year-old regular at-bats to build on last year’s .243/.342/.406 line from Triple-A (14 homers, 22 steals, 106 wRC+), they could option him out and plug DeJong into the bench mix.
Tarik Skubal To Undergo Surgery To Remove Loose Bodies From Elbow
The Tigers received a gut-punch medical update, as ace Tarik Skubal is headed for arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies from his elbow, manager A.J. Hinch tells the team’s beat (link via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com). A timetable for his recovery has not yet been determined, but Skubal will obviously be placed on the 15-day injured list for now. The Tigers will recall righty Ty Madden and go with a bullpen game opened by Tyler Holton in Skubal’s place tonight.
Skubal has been his typically excellent self so far in 2026. He’s started seven games, totaled 43 1/3 innings and notched a tidy 2.70 ERA to begin the season. His average fastball is down about a mile per hour relative to last year’s 97.6 mph peak, but this year’s 96.6 mph average is right in line with his 2024 levels, when he won the first of his two Cy Young trophies. Skubal has fanned 27.1% of his opponents against a superlative 3.6% walk rate.
Though it may not be the strongest start of Skubal’s career, his track record makes him the consensus top pitcher in the American League — if not all of MLB. Losing him for what will surely be an extended period is brutal for the Tigers, particularly given the team’s lackluster start to the season. Detroit is 18-17, tied with Cleveland for first place in the American League Central. Had the Tigers rushed out to a big lead, the loss of their ace — while still demoralizing — might have been easier to weather. Instead, their pedestrian play thus far has kept even the last-place Twins (15-20) within three games of a share of the division lead.
Every injury is different, but precedent suggests that Skubal should still be able to return to the mound this year. He’s not even a lock to be placed on the 60-day IL. Illustrating the variety of possible outcomes here, Atlanta’s Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both underwent surgery to remove loose bodies within days of each other this spring. Schwellenbach was immediately placed on the 60-day IL and still hasn’t begun throwing despite a nearly two-month layoff. Waldrep, meanwhile, was never placed on the 60-day IL and is set to throw bullpen sessions this week. He could feasibly return by late May or early June.
Cautioning that the absence might “only” be two to three months isn’t much of a silver lining for Detroit fans, but it’s still noteworthy that Skubal has a very real chance of being back later this summer — possibly with a decent portion of the season left. In the meantime, however, the Tigers’ rotation depth is being put through the wringer.
Skubal joins Casey Mize, Justin Verlander and Reese Olson on the injured list. Mize is dealing with a groin strain. Verlander has inflammation in his hip. Olson underwent shoulder surgery and will miss the entire 2026 season. Prized young righty Jackson Jobe is also on the 60-day injured list while he continues his yearlong rehab from last June’s Tommy John surgery. Jobe could potentially be an option in July or August. It’s possible he and Skubal will be ramping up to return to the rotation around the same time, even. Another promising young right-hander, Troy Melton, has been out all season due to an elbow strain.
With so many pitchers on the shelf, the Tigers will go with Framber Valdez, Jack Flaherty and Keider Montero atop the rotation for the time being. Swingman Drew Anderson is an obvious candidate for the rotation. He’s posted a 5.12 ERA in 19 1/3 innings of relief this season but was dominant in the Korea Baseball Organization last year and signed a one-year, $7MM contract in free agency this winter. Anderson’s 26.5% strikeout rate, 10.8% walk rate and 13.7% swinging-strike rate all suggest that his ERA ought to be a fair bit lower; metrics like SIERA (3.45) and xERA (4.06) are far more bullish on his work.
Righty Sawyer Gipson-Long is on the 40-man roster down in Triple-A and could get a look at some point. Several of the Tigers’ minor league arms — Jake Miller, Troy Watson, Joseph Montalvo — are on the injured list in Triple-A and Double-A as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Detroit try to go outside the organization for some more depth, though it’s in short supply this time of season. Mize and Verlander will have spots waiting for them upon return, but Verlander has been down about a month already and isn’t yet on a rehab assignment, while the Tigers haven’t given a clear indication of how long Mize will be shelved.
The more immediate concern is how the Tigers navigate this injury and what it does to their chances in the American League Central, of course. However, Skubal’s surgery and how he pitches upon returning also cloud what could be the most lucrative trip to free agency for any pitcher in history.
Skubal clearly won’t be winning a third straight Cy Young Award now. A setback, a longer-than-anticipated rehab process and/or poor performance upon returning from the injured list could all impact what was shaping up to be the loftiest earning power of any pitcher in MLB history. If he makes it back to the mound midsummer and immediately snaps back into old form, it’s possible the injury won’t ultimately weigh down his contract much, but there are too many unknowns right now to gauge the situation with any semblance of certainty.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported that Skubal was being scratched from his start tonight.
Brewers Designate Greg Jones For Assignment
The Brewers announced that both outfielder Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn have been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. In corresponding moves, outfielder Blake Perkins has been optioned to Triple-A Nashville and infielder/outfielder Greg Jones has been designated for assignment.
The returns of Chourio and Vaughn should provide a sizable boost to a Brewers lineup that has relied heavily on complementary pieces in recent weeks. Milwaukee has a pair of 13-run outbursts in its past 11 games but has also been held to four or fewer runs seven times in that span. Much of the recent uptick in offense came against a D-backs staff that’s been struggling enormously over the past few weeks.
Chourio, 22, has missed the whole seasons thus far after suffering a fractured hand during exhibition play this spring. He went 1-for-9 with three walks in a brief three-game minor league rehab stint. The Brewers are hoping that the dynamic outfielder can recreate something close to — ideally better than — his career .272/.316/.463 slash (115 wRC+) with only minimal rehab work.
Similarly, Vaughn notched only one hit in three rehab games before his reinstatement. The former No. 3 overall pick enjoyed one of the most dramatic turnarounds in recent memory last year after going from Chicago to Milwaukee in a trade. Vaughn arrived in the Brewers organization with a career .248/.303/.407 batting line but erupted with a .308/.375/.493 batting line in 64 games down the stretch. He belted nine homers in 254 trips to the plate — then tacked on another two postseason taters in 30 plate appearances. Vaughn posted an outrageous .367/.436/.612 line in 55 spring plate appearances before incurring a hamate fracture that required surgery.
Jones went 2-for-21 in his brief time with the Brewers. He drew one walk, stole a base and struck out nine times in 22 plate appearances (40.9%). The 2019 first-rounder (Rays) only had 30 big league plate appearances to his credit. He’s spent parts of four seasons in Triple-A, where he’s a .262/.344/.438 hitter. Jones was drafted as a shortstop but has worked primarily as an outfielder in recent seasons. He has top-of-the-scale speed but marginal power and a bottom-of-the-scale hit tool that’s regularly produced strikeout rates north of 33% in Triple-A.
The Brewers will have five days to trade Jones, release him or place him on outright waivers. Outright waivers would be another 48-hour process, meaning Jones’ DFA will be resolved within a week’s time. He doesn’t have three years of major league service and has never cleared waivers before, so if he goes unclaimed this time around, he’ll be assigned outright to Nashville. He’d no longer count against the 40-man roster but would remain in the organization.
Red Sox Select Alec Gamboa
The Red Sox announced they have selected the contract of left-hander Alec Gamboa from Triple-A Worcester. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com first reported that Gamboa was on a flight to Detroit and likely to be added after exercising an upward mobility clause. He takes the active roster spot of fellow lefty Danny Coulombe, who has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to cervical spasms, retroactive to May 2nd. To open a 40-man spot, lefty Patrick Sandoval has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
Gamboa will take the mound as a 29-year-old rookie when he’s first plugged into a game. The 2019 Dodgers ninth-rounder spent years climbing the ranks in L.A.’s system but never reached the majors. The Dodgers granted him his release last year in order to sign with the KBO’s Lotte Giants, and Gamboa wound up making 19 starts with a 3.58 ERA in 108 innings in that overseas run. He fanned just under one quarter of his opponents, issued walks at a 10.3% clip and recorded a 55.2% ground-ball rate. Both his ERA and FIP were about 20% better than league average in South Korea’s hitter-friendly environment.
That showing prompted the Sox to bring Gamboa aboard on a minor league deal. He only pitched two spring innings and has tossed 13 frames in Worcester. The 6.23 ERA he’s turned in thus far isn’t going to generate much excitement, but Gamboa has a nice 25.4% strikeout rate with a solid 8.5% walk rate and a huge 57.9% grounder rate. He’s been plagued by a mammoth .405 average on balls in play that’s sure to regress closer to the .290 league average.
This move will keep the Sox with an even split in their bullpen for now. They have been operating with four lefties and four righties. Coming into today, the southpaws were Aroldis Chapman, Jovani Morán, Tyler Samaniego and Coulombe. It’s unclear how long Coulombe is expected to be out but Gamboa will slot in for him.
Presumably, Gamboa has a full slate of options, since this is his first major league call-up. Sometimes, a player coming to North America from overseas will get language in his contract stating that he can’t be sent to the minors without his consent, though it’s unlikely that a minor league contract would have such a provision. Samaniego has options if the Sox need a fresh arm at some point.
As for Sandoval, he still hasn’t pitched in the majors since June of 2024. He underwent surgery on his ulnar collateral ligament that month and has been in recovery mode ever since. The Angels non-tendered him at the end of that year, which led to the Sox signing him to a two-year deal worth $18.25MM.
Boston knew that they likely wouldn’t get much from Sandoval in 2025 but presumably hoped he would be back on the mound by now. He began a rehab assignment a few weeks ago but that was shut down after just two outings due to some biceps soreness.
His current timeline is unclear but this transaction rules out any chance of him returning in the next few weeks. His 60-day count is retroactive to his season-opening placement on the 15-day IL but that still means he’s ineligible for reinstatement until late May.
Boston’s rotation was supposed to be a strength but injuries have really impacted them. In addition to Sandoval, they have Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Kutter Crawford, Johan Oviedo and Tanner Houck on the IL. Ranger Suárez hasn’t been placed on the IL but did depart his most recent start with a hamstring strain. For now, assuming Suárez avoids the IL, he is surrounded by Brayan Bello, Payton Tolle, Connelly Early and Jake Bennett in the rotation. Bello has a 9.12 ERA and would probably be in the minors if not for all these injuries. Unless he gets back on track soon, he could be in an awkward spot as guys come off the IL.
Photo courtesy of Kim Klement Neitzel, Imagn Images
Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
Steve Adams
- Happy Monday! (Or, happy Bryce Eldridge and/or Joe Mack Day, to those who observe)
- I'll get going in about 90 mins, but feel free to send in some questions ahead of time.
- Greetings. Sorry to be a couple minutes late -- Skubal news dropped out of nowhere.
- Let's get going!
Mike
- With Grichik DFA do you think Jasson Domínguez will stay with the team as their 4th outfielder?
Steve Adams
- It does no good to have Dominguez sitting more often than not. He should be playing every day, whether that's in Triple-A or in the majors. Shrugging and putting him in a bench role would seemingly be acknowledging that they don't think he has an everyday spot down the line.
Tony
- Nolan gorman? Has he showed enough to get another year? Doesn't seem to be anyone pushing him
Steve Adams
- I guess he has the K% down under 30, so that's something. But in general, he's not walking, not hitting the ball all that hard ... This is a guy who's coming up on four years of big league service and he's a below-average hitter still. I just don't see much cause to keep trotting him out there.They may not have a high-end prospect pushing him, but either of Blaze Jordan or Cesar Prieto could get a look at some point. Jordan's probably more of a 1B, but they're still playing him at the hot corner in AAA.Barring a big surge -- for which there's still plenty of time -- I just don't see why you keep running him out there in a regular role beyond the current season.
Guest
- What are the Braves doing with James Karinchek? With all of their bullpen issues, I think he deserves a chance.
Steve Adams
- ERA looks nice, but he's walking 11-12% of his opponents in AAA with a below-average swinging-stirke and chase rate, and he's sitting 92-93 mph with his fastball. He was 97+ when he debuted.I wouldn't have an issue giving him a look, but my expectations would be pretty tepid even if they did. Or probably, more accurately, "when they do." I'd imagine he gets a look at some point in the not too distant future (no inside intel there -- just saying based on his performance, injuries in the 'pen, fact that he still has an option left once he's selected, etc)
Mariners Rotation
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- When Bryce Miller comes back later this month, who is the odd man out of the Mariners rotation or does Miller start in the pen. No way they would move Hancock to the pen, as he has been the Mariners most consistent starter all year, right?
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Tommy Kahnle Likely To Stay With Red Sox
May 4: Kahnle is likely to stay with Triple-A Worcester, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
May 1: Kahnle has triggered the assignment clause, reports Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston. The Sox will know by Sunday whether another team is willing to carry him on the MLB roster.
April 30: Veteran right-hander Tommy Kahnle, currently pitching with the Red Sox’ Triple-A affiliate, has an upward mobility clause in his deal that he can trigger tomorrow, writes Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The clause was reported at the time of Kahnle’s signing in Boston, but it still bears mentioning with the seasoned setup man pitching well in the upper minors at present.
If triggered, an upward mobility clause would push the Sox to make Kahnle available to all 29 other clubs. If any other club would put him on its major league roster, the Red Sox would either have to select Kahnle to their own 40-man roster or, if they’re not willing to do so, allow him to depart to an organization that would put him in the major league bullpen. Such clauses are common in minor league deals for veteran players.
Through the season’s first month, Kahnle has done a nice job trying to force Boston’s hand. The 36-year-old has pitched 8 1/3 innings out of the Worcester bullpen, allowing three earned runs (3.24 ERA) on eight hits and three walks. He’s fanned eight of the 36 batters he’s faced (22.2%), hasn’t allowed a home run and has done a decent job avoiding too much hard contact (88.3 mph average exit velocity, no barrels, 41.7% hard-hit rate).
Kahnle’s 92.7 mph average fastball would be the lowest of his career, although through the first month of the 2025 season in Detroit, he wasn’t much higher (93.1 mph). He sat 93.6 mph the rest of the way. It seems reasonable to expect Kahnle’s heater to gain a bit of life as he continues to build up this season, but the four-seamer is a secondary pitch for him anyhow; Kahnle is perhaps the foremost changeup specialist in the game. This season’s 59.5% usage rate on his changeup is actually a stark decrease relative to recent seasons. From 2022-25, Kahnle threw 79% changeups against just 18.7% fastballs with a very, very occasional slider (2.4%) mixed in to throw some hitters off balance.
Although he’s coming off a lackluster season with the Tigers — hence the minor league deal — Kahnle has a lengthy track record of success in the majors. He’s been hurt more frequently than he or the teams for which he’s pitched would prefer, but from 2016-24, the right-hander logged a combined 3.11 ERA, 31.1% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate in 271 2/3 innings between the White Sox, Yankees and Dodgers.
It’s not clear whether the Red Sox would be amenable to adding Kahnle to the big league bullpen. Relief pitching has been a strength in an otherwise disappointing season for Boston. Sox relievers have combined for a 3.67 ERA that ranks eighth-best in the majors. The only Red Sox relievers who can be optioned are Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly and Tyler Samaniego. Plugging Kahnle into the ‘pen would give the Red Sox a sixth reliever who cannot be sent down without being exposed to waivers.
The decision will belong to chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, but interim skipper Chad Tracy — who managed Kahnle for several weeks to begin the season — sounded amenable to the idea. Asked by Smith just yesterday whether Kahnle could help the big league club, Tracy replied:
“For a veteran of his caliber that’s been around, yes, he can help out. He’s been around the big leagues for a really long time. He knows how to pitch. He’s been here, he’s pitched in the playoffs. So absolutely can help out.”
If not the Red Sox, there seems to be a decent chance Kahnle could draw the interest of another club. Each of the Nationals, Cardinals, Twins, Royals, Angels and Astros have received a combined ERA of 5.00 or worse from their bullpen so far in 2026. The Phillies, Astros, Cubs and Marlins all have their closers on the injured list. Chicago’s Daniel Palencia is expected to return soon, but he’s one of six Cubs relievers on the shelf.