The New York Yankees ex-middle reliever Tommy Kahnle has been signed by the Los Angeles Dodgers in free agency. Kahnle, a premium middle reliever, had Tommy John Surgery during the 2020 season and would be unable to pitch for the Yankees during the upcoming 2021 season. After the 2020 season, the Yankees did not include him on the 2020 roster and optioned him to the Scranton Wilkes/Barre Rail Riders. Rather than accept, he choose free agency.
Kahnle had a standout season in 2019, appearing in 72 games with a WHIP of 1.06, but he pitched in just one game last year before undergoing elbow surgery.
The 31-year-old Kahnle was originally a fifth-round pick by the Yankees in 2010. He wasn’t protected and went to the Colorado Rockies in the 2013 Rule 5 draft. He then spent two seasons with the Rockies and parts of two more seasons with the Chicago White Sox. In a 2017 deal with the Sox, he and Todd Frazier and David Robertson were again Yankees. The Yankees were hopeful that Kahnle would return to the team in 2022 as he was an integral part of the bullpen. With the two deal with the Dodgers, that will not happen.
The deal with the Dodgers and Kahnle was confirmed this afternoon. The contract is worth just under $5 million-plus incentives. Kahnle will receive a $550K signing bonus and can earn even more incentives in 2022. One of the main priorities of the Dodgers was to bolster their bullpen. That is also a priority for the New York Yankees, especially now.