Yankees Lose High-Leverage Reliever Tommy Kahnle to Tigers
![Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle (41) pitches during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle (41) pitches during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4887,h_2748,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_pinstripes/01jjsfs6ym31s4hdwe8k.jpg)
The New York Yankees' bullpen will look a lot different this coming season, especially after losing a familiar face.
On Wednesday, right-handed relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle signed a one-year, $7.75 million contract with the Detroit Tigers, ending his third stint with the Bronx Bombers. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to report that the 35-year-old was nearing a deal, while Robert Murray of FanSided confirmed the deal and reported contract terms.
Tommy Kahnle close to deal with Tigers
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 29, 2025
Free-agent reliever Tommy Kahnle and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, pending physical, according to a source familiar with the deal. @JonHeyman said the sides were close.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 29, 2025
Kahnle, who was drafted by the Yankees in 2010 and pitched for them from 2017 to 2020, signed a two-year, $11.5 million contract in December 2022 for another go-around with the club. Despite starting both the 2023 and 2024 seasons on the injured list (with biceps tendinitis and shoulder inflammation, respectively), the righty maintained his effectiveness and logged a cumulative 2.38 ERA in 92 appearances and 83.1 innings; last season, Kahnle pitched in 50 games (primarily as a setup man) and posted a 2.11 ERA, with 46 strikeouts against 19 walks.
The veteran is well-known for his devastating changeup, which boasted a run value of +10 on Baseball Savant. However, Kahnle tends to overuse the pitch due to a mediocre fastball, as he threw the changeup 73% of the time during the regular season and threw 61 consecutive changeups during New York's postseason run.
The Yankees' bullpen is in a significant state of flux at the moment; in addition to Kahnle, former closer Clay Holmes signed with the New York Mets earlier in the offseason, while left-hander Tim Hill is also a free agent. New additions to the bullpen this offseason include Devin Williams (the team's new closer), Fernando Cruz, and Michael Arias, all of whom were trade acquisitions, while Jonathan Loáisiga was brought back on a one-year deal with a club option for 2026.
With Kahnle gone, the Yankees have to select another setup man to use in tandem with Luke Weaver. Candidates for the role include Jake Cousins, Cruz, Ian Hamilton, Mark Leiter Jr., and Loáisiga.