Cardinals Should Move Fast on 12-Year Veteran After Red Sox Cut Ties

The St. Louis Cardinals should be looking to add and the 12-year veteran would be a perfect fit.

Jun 30, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Tommy Kahnle (46) throws in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Jaiden Tripi-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The St. Louis Cardinals went through a cold stretch last week, but have turned a corner once again. The Cardinals have won three straight games and now are eight games above .500 once again at 47-39.

St. Louis is just a half-game behind the Chicago Cubs for second place in the National League Central — and the No. 2 National League Wild Card spot. The Cardinals are just 1 1/2 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies for the top National League Wild Card spot as well.

The vast majority of the Cardinals' season has been positive so far in 2026. There have been a few points in which the Cardinals have struggled, but like this week, they have found a way to bounce back each time. This makes them very interesting and hard to rule out with the trade deadline coming up in August and eventually the playoff push around baseball afterward. Even if the Cardinals don't go out and make a splash at the deadline, this is a team that has shown over and over this season that they can make some noise and that they are resilient. The Cardinals could use another reliever and arguably have been good enough to at least warrant looking around and seeing if there are options that could help at a low cost.

The Cardinals Should Add Another Reliever

Jun 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle (46) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the ninth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It just so happens that a veteran officially became available on Sunday who could help.

On Sunday, 12-year big league veteran Tommy Kahnle elected free agency from the Boston Red Sox after recently being designated for assignment, per MassLive.com's Chris Cotillo.

"Tommy Kahnle will elect free agency after clearing waivers, source says. So he’s out of Red Sox org," Cotillo wrote.

Kahnle is the exact type of hurler the Cardinals should roll the dice on to try to help a bullpen that needs a lift. The Cardinals' bullpen is ranked 18th in the league with a 4.18 ERA. Kahnle pitched in just eight games for the Red Sox this season and had an 8.00 ERA before being DFA'd. But he had a 1.40 ERA in 18 appearances down in Triple-A before being promoted to Boston this season.

He's a 12-year veteran who has a 3.70 career ERA and plenty of playoff appearances. Now, he's available in free agency and surely won't command much more than the minimum or a minor league deal after struggling with Boston. The Cardinals should take advantage. His price tag would be cheap and the Cardinals have a need. Why not roll the dice? If he were to struggle, the Cardinals could just cut ties, like Boston did. It's a no-brainer.