On more than one occasion, the New York Yankees bullpen has been questioned this year. Injuries have played their part, of course, but the unit hasn’t shown the consistency that fans would like as we head into the postseason. It has been dominant and stable at times, but it has also gone through some ugly stretches, particularly when Clay Holmes was trusted with ninth-inning duties.
Right now, the unit is trending up because it has Ian Hamilton back, and two unsung stars have shown their worth in recent weeks: Luke Weaver and Tommy Kahnle. We have talked about Weaver and how it has been a blessing to have him in charge of closing duties now, but Kahnle, for some reason, tends to go unnoticed.
Tommy Kahnle is flying under the radar
The truth is that the veteran right-handed has been a key cog in relief for the Yankees and is currently one of the anchors of the unit.
After getting two more outs against Baltimore on Tuesday, Kahnle’s ERA this season stands at a very impressive 1.74 in 41.1 innings. He also has 43 strikeouts and a 1.11 WHIP.
If we consider the last seven games, the Yankees pitcher has a perfect 0.00 ERA in 6.1 frames, with six punchouts to his name. His dominance, however, is not a recent thing: it has been going on all year long as he boasts a brilliant 1.04 ERA in his last 30 games.
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Kahnle gives the Yankees a reliable bullpen piece
Whereas many hurlers tend to get tired and feel the wear and tear of the long, grueling season, Kahnle is just getting started. He wants that World Series ring with the Yankees, and he knows they have a huge chance in front of them.
The right-hander has been part of past Yankees teams that have flirted with the ultimate goal, which is to advance to the World Series, but have fallen short. This time, he is hungry, ready, and in top shape.
The Yankees have many high-profile players, but Kahnle, even if he is not as big a name as Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Gerrit Cole, is almost as important as them with October in mind.
