Reds could land ideal bullpen reinforcement thanks to Red Sox opt-out drama

The Cincinnati Reds bullpen has been ravaged by injuries throughout the season, and especially of late. The team is currently without three of their top four relievers after Graham Ashcraft and Pierce Johnson joined Emilio Pagán on the IL late last week.

Following a successful start to the season, the Reds' bullpen was barely able to tread water during the month of May. Cincinnati relievers were among the worst in all of Major League Baseball with a collective 4.98 ERA and 5.18 FIP. Reds manager Terry Francona was forced to rely on the likes of Yunior Marté, Zach Maxwell, and Lyon Richardson. Those are not ideal choices.

To make matters worse, the Reds best reliever from last season has been a shadow of his former self. Tony Santillan had a clean record during his first 12 outings this season, but the hulking right-hander has a 9.95 ERA over his last 15 appearances while allowing an eye-popping eight home runs.

Thankfully, there may be hope for some reinforcements. Veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle, who's currently pitching for the Boston Red Sox's Triple-A affiliate, has an opt-out that he's set to trigger on June 1. If the Red Sox fail to add Kahnle to the 40-man roster, he'll re-enter the free agent market. If that happens, the Reds shouldn't hesitate for one second.

Reds should sign Tommy Kahnle if he opts out of Red Sox contract

Kahnle is a well-established veteran with more than 10 years of Major League experience. He spent last season with the Detroit Tigers after two years with the New York Yankees. His time in the Bronx was quite fruitful with a 2.38 ERA over 83⅓ innings and a 27.3% strikeout rate.

Things didn't go so well in Detroit, however, which is why Kahnle had to settle for a minor-league deal with Boston. His 66 outings with the Tigers in 2025 accounted for a less-than-stellar 4.43 ERA, and he recorded just 50 punch outs over 63 innings of work (18.7 K rate).

But Kahnle's been quite productive with the Red Sox's affiliate in Worcester this season. The 36-year-old has a crisp 1.40 ERA over 19⅓ innings, though his 3.21 FIP suggests his production might not be matching his actual stats.

But at this stage of the game, the Reds need arms. And given how poorly Cincinnati's young guns have performed this season, Francona would likely prefer another veteran hurler in the bullpen.

Reds fans should be keeping a close watch on the Red Sox over the next several hours. If Kahnle is allowed to pursue other options, Nick Krall's phone call should be one of the first ones he takes.

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