Overview
- Kahnle's contract, which triggers Friday, forces Boston to add him to its 40-man roster or let any of the other 29 teams place him directly in an MLB bullpen.
- At Triple-A Worcester, the 36-year-old has a 3.24 ERA over 8 1/3 innings with three straight scoreless outings, eight strikeouts, and no homers allowed.
- Interim manager Chad Tracy said Kahnle "can help out," while chief baseball officer Craig Breslow will make the call on a promotion.
- Roster flexibility is tight because only Greg Weissert, Zack Kelly, and Tyler Samaniego can be optioned, and one floated path is cutting Rule 5 pick Ryan Watson, which would return him to Oakland.
- If no team signs him after the clause activates, Kahnle can opt out on June 1, and clubs with early bullpen woes have been cited as likely suitors based on recent performance needs.