Red Sox purchase contract of Brett Kennedy from Long Island Ducks, assign former Padres right-hander to Double-A Portland

The Red Sox have purchased the contract of right-hander Brett Kennedy from the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League, the team announced on Tuesday. Kennedy has been assigned to Double-A Portland.

In six starts for the Ducks this season, Kennedy posted a 3.03 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 27 strikeouts to nine walks over 32 2/3 innings of work.

Kennedy, 27, was originally selected by the Padres in the 11th round of the 2015 amateur draft out of Fordham University. The New Jersey-born righty broke in with San Diego in 2018 and produced a 6.75 ERA in six starts (26 2/3 innings) with the club.

After missing the majority of the 2019 campaign due to a right shoulder strain, the Padres removed Kennedy from their 40-man roster that October. He returned to affiliated ball in 2021 and made 17 appearances (14 starts) between three levels before becoming a free-agent and ultimately landing with the Ducks in April.

When Kennedy last pitched in the majors four years ago, the 6-foot, 200 pound hurler worked with a three-pitch mix that consisted of a four-seam fastball, a slider, and a changeup, per Baseball Savant.

According to the Baseball Performance Center in Pleasantville, N.J., however, Kennedy has since added a power sinker and sweeping curveball to his arsenal.