Former New York Yankees Reliever Called Out by Detroit Tigers Manager

Oct 28, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Tommy Kahnle (41) throws during the eighth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in game three of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Earlier this week, Detroit Tigers manager and former Stanford Cardinal A.J. Hinch was named the best manager in baseball by MLB Network's Brian Kenny.

A.J. Hinch tops BK's manager rankings 📊 pic.twitter.com/XzbG6IForQ

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 19, 2025

Then, recent free agent addition Tommy Kahnle, formerly of the New York Yankees, made an appearance on Foul Territory and said that his new manager called him out.

In the clip posted to YouTube, Kahnle says, "The first meeting we had, it was pitchers and catchers, A.J. Hinch called me out and goes, 'we brought in this guy throwing 61 straight changeups in a postseason. They know what's comin', and they still can't hit it.'"

While both the Yankees and Tigers made it to the postseason in 2024, the two teams did not face off. Detroit ended up sweeping the Houston Astros in the WIld Card round, snapping Houston's streak of seven straight appearances in the American League Championship Series, but they fell in the next round, three game to two, to the Cleveland Guardians.

The Yankees would go on to defeat Cleveland in the ALCS in five games, making their first World Series appearance since their last title in 2009.

The Tigers signed Kahnle right before the calendar flipped to February, agreeing to terms on a one-year, $7.75 million deal.

Later in the clip, Kahnle said of being called out by his new manager, "it was cool that he called me out like that pretty early in the meetings. First bullpen I definitely sprinkled them in there. I think I only threw like three or four though. I don't want to give it away too early."

Last season with the Yankees, the right-hander tallied 42.2 innings pitched, his highest total since 2019 when he accumulated 61.1 innings. In his 50 games last season, he held an impressive 2.11 ERA (3.34 xERA) while striking out 25.7% of the batters he faced.

That changeup accounted for 73.1% of his total pitches during the regular season, and batters still hit just .157 off it with an expected batting average (xBA) of .173. The offering also came with a 38.9% whiff rate and an average launch angle of just three degrees.

Kahnle has tinkered with his pitch mix just a touch the past two seasons, working in a sinker now and again, tossing 38 of them in 2023, and 15 last season. It will be interesting to see if the Tigers have him keep working to develop that pitch, or have him scrap it altogether.

The way that Roster Resource has Detroit's bullpen right now, Kahnle appears to be a middle relief arm for Detroit, with right-handers Jason Foley and Beau Brieske, along with lefty Tyler Holton, all listed as potential closers. Foley, 29, seems like the logical closer to begin the 2025 campaign, with Brieske and Holton filling in the seventh and eighth innings.

Tigers spring training action is set to begin on Satuday, February 22 against the Philadelphia Phillies with first pitch scheduled for 10:05 a.m. (PT). The following day will be the Tigers and Kahnle's former team, the New York Yankees.