For Kansas City Royals fans, the January 29 news cycle was taken over by the Royals signing closer Carlos Estévez — but that wasn’t the only deal that went down in the AL Central. Just hours earlier, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the Detroit Tigers had agreed to a one-year, $7.75 million deal with former New York Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle, with the Tigers later announcing the signing on social media.

The Tigers’ move to sign Kahnle comes after they were linked to — and ultimately missed out on — two-time All-Star Ryan Pressly earlier this week. The Houston Astros officially requested Pressly waive his contract’s no-trade clause for both the Tigers and the Chicago Cubs, but he declined to do so for the Tigers, and ended up being traded to the Cubs on January 26.

Despite the disappointment of missing out on Pressly, it clearly didn’t take long for Detroit to move on. Kahnle is now locked in to join the bullpen this season, adding strength to an already strong relief corps.

Tommy Kahnle signs with KC Royals rival

Kahnle was selected by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2010 MLB Draft, but before he made it to the majors, the Colorado Rockies selected him in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft. He made his MLB debut with the Rockies on April 2, 2014, and was traded to the Chicago White Sox at the end of the 2015 season. In July 2017, Kahnle was traded to New York for his second stint in the Yankees organization.

In 2018, Kahnle struggled through the first half of the season, resulting in a demotion to Triple-A on June 4. He was recalled at the start of August, and finished the year with a 6.56 ERA in 23.1 innings of work. Kahnle was in better form in 2019, accumulating a 3.67 ERA with 27 holds in 61.1 innings and being named AL reliever of the month in July. In July 2020, Kahnle underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow, and he was outrighted off the Yankees roster at the end of the year.

Having elected free agency, Kahnle signed a two-year deal to join the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2021 season, though his recovery kept him from making his first appearance until May 2022. He only managed four games for the Dodgers before landing back on the IL right forearm inflammation, and after returning to the mound in September, he finished the season with a 2.84 ERA in just 12.2 innings pitched.

Before the 2023 season, Kahnle signed a two-year contract to return to the Yankees for his third stint in the organization and second in the majors. He started 2023 on the IL with biceps tendinitis, and didn’t make his season debut until June 1. Kahnle’s season ended early due to shoulder inflammation, with the right-hander having accumulated a 2.66 ERA and 14 holds in 40.2 innings.

Kahnle was still on the IL to start 2024, and made his first appearance on May 22. He posted a 2.11 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 46 strikeouts, 16 holds, and 1 save in 42.2 innings of work last season, and appeared in nine games during the Yankees’ playoff campaign, posting a 2.08 ERA with 7 strikeouts in 8.2 innings.

Now with the Tigers, the biggest test for Kahnle will be staying healthy. He’s undoubtedly a fierce presence on the mound, but having missed half of 2020, all of 2021, and substantial chunks of 2022, 2023, and 2024, Kanhle’s durability is extremely worrying.

The AL Central is continuing to heat up — especially in the bullpen. With the Guardians recently signing Paul Sewald, the Tigers following with Kahnle, and the Royals acquiring Estévez, there are plenty of new relief additions to watch in 2025.