In 2024, the New York Yankees boasted the 6th-best bullpen ERA in the majors; a large contributor to that success was reliever Tommy Kahnle.
Key Yankees Reliever Set For Big Payday In Free Agency
The 35 year-old right-hander posted one of the best seasons of his career this past year, throwing 42 2/3 innings to a 2.11 ERA and 46 strikeouts (with a career-high ERA+ of 196). He was also a major part of the Yankees’ postseason success, largely thanks to their bullpen’s work. As a result, Kahnle will be looking for a much bigger sum of cash in free agency this offseason.
Market Value
Kahnle is just one of many names of this year’s stacked class of free-agent relievers. From Tanner Scott to David Robertson to Kahnle’s (former?) teammate Clay Holmes, this offseason will see a boatload of big-name relievers finding new contracts and homes. But despite the amount of other pitchers available in this year’s market, don’t be too quick to discount Kahnle.
To say that his best years are behind him would be simply untrue, as he proved this past season. Kahnle has put up 5 seasons of at least 20 innings and a sub-3 ERA, a pretty remarkable feat for a pitcher who wasn’t even sure if he could pitch again following Tommy John surgery at 31 years old. The New York native has proved his value time and time again, and with today’s relievers finding ways to succeed even in their twilight years, it’s safe to say that Kahnle will deliver for whichever team decides to pay him his projected price of around $6-8 million.
Interested Teams
Rather than noting which teams will vie for Kahnle’s services, it might be easier to list the teams that won’t pursue the 35-year-old. However, with the abundance of solid relievers in this year’s free agent pool, Kahnle definitely won’t be the hottest name on the market. Regardless, teams like the Chicago White Sox and the Colorado Rockies (both former teams of Kahnle’s) will need to pick up as many solid pitchers as possible if they wish to avoid repeats of last season. On the flip side, teams such as the Boston Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles are squads that have both money to play with and lower-end bullpens that, if remedied, could elevate the whole team’s success.
What it comes down to, though, is that Kahnle will likely sign with a competitive team that is willing to give him a high-end reliever’s contract. He isn’t getting any younger, and after the Yankees’ loss in the World Series this past year, he will be looking to capture a ring before his career comes to a close.
New York Reunion?
There is a genuine possibility that the Yankees resign their veteran setup man, especially after they saw how much their bullpen relied on him this past season. They have the money, of course, but the question is whether or not they wish to allocate it elsewhere on the roster. After all, with newfound gems in Luke Weaver and Jake Cousins, the Yankees’ bullpen will survive without Kahnle. But still, bringing back both a fun clubhouse presence and an electric arm will certainly aid in New York’s World Series chances in 2025.
Main Photo Credits: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
