Tommy Kahnle felt Yankees never tried to re-sign him before free agency

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Reliever Tommy Kahnle knew early in the offseason that his time with the Yankees was over. Before free agency had even gained momentum, the veteran right-hander realized New York wasn’t looking to bring him back.

Tommy Kahnle knew Yankees weren’t interested in reunion

Kahnle, 35, refrained from publicly sharing that knowledge when he appeared on Foul Territory” on Dec. 4, but he was already aware the Yankees had moved on. Now with the Detroit Tigers, Kahnle reflected on how cold free agency can be at times during an interview on Wednesday.

“It’s funny. When I had that episode this offseason, I knew a few weeks before that that they were out,” Kahnle said on Foul Territory. “…They basically came back before anything really started to pick up, they were like, ‘We don’t think we can meet your numbers.’ I feel like they didn’t even try, to be honest.”

Without an offer from New York, Kahnle signed a one-year, $7.75 million deal with the Tigers in late January. The veteran reliever played a crucial role in the Yankees’ bullpen in 2024, posting a 2.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 46 strikeouts over 42 2/3 innings during the regular season. His impact carried into the playoffs, where he went 1-1 with three holds.

Kahnle’s history with the Yankees dates back to 2017, when he was acquired in a trade from the White Sox. He remained in New York for three-plus seasons before undergoing an injury-plagued stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 2021-2022. The Yankees brought him back on a two-year deal ahead of the 2023 season, but his latest tenure with the team proved to be his last.

Over parts of six seasons in New York, Kahnle logged 195 2/3 innings and pitched to a 3.31 ERA.

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