Red Sox Cut Ties With 12-Year Veteran Pitcher

The Boston Red Sox are moving on from a veteran reliever, again.

Boston signed 12-year big league veteran Tommy Kahnle ahead of the 2026 season after years of interest in the righty. Things didn't align between the two sides until the 2026 campaign, though.

Kahnle joined Boston on a minor league deal and kicked off his stint with the club down with Triple-A Worcester. Eventually, he was promoted to the big leagues, but his stint with the club was short-lived. He made eight appearances with the Red Sox before being designated for assignment. He elected free agency in early July, but didn't land elsewhere. Instead, Kahnle opted to return to Boston on a minor league deal. Kahnle re-signed with the Red Sox on July 14. But, again, his stint with the club was short-lived.

On Saturday, Hunter Noll of Beyond The Monster reported that Boston has released Kahnle.

The Red Sox Cut Tommy Kahnle

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

"Per source: The Boston Red Sox have released RHP Tommy Kahnle (AAA) and reinstated RHP Devin Sweet (AAA)," Noll wrote.

Tommy Cassell of the Worcester T&G Sports followed up and confirmed that Kahnle has been released.

It's unfortunate that things didn't work out between Boston and Kahnle throughout the 2026 season. This is a guy who has had a lot of success throughout his big league career to this point. Kahnle has a 3.70 career ERA in 464 total big league appearances. He's 36 years old and was good down in Triple-A, but the success didn't carry over to the big leagues this season.

At this point, it will be interesting to see if he lands another role elsewhere. It wouldn't be the biggest shock in the world. The trade deadline will be here on Aug. 3 and there are plenty of teams around the league looking for pitching. When it comes to Kahnle, the biggest positive around him is the fact that he has plenty of experience, including in the postseason. But, again, the 2026 season hasn't been kind to him. He spent a lot of time down in Triple-A and has been released.

If another team doesn't swoop in and sign Kahnle, it also wouldn't be the worst idea in the world to try to get him on another minor league deal. Again, he's a veteran who has been around the block and has seen it all. As of right now, his time with the organization is over, though.

Add us as a preferred source on Google