Last Tuesday, several sources including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported Tommy Kahnle’s agreement to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
According to Spotrac, Kahnle’s deal with the Dodgers is worth $5.25M, including a $550K signing bonus. Because Kahnle’s recovery process from Tommy John surgery will hold him out of the 2021 season, the first year of the deal has a base salary of just $750K. The 2022 base salary of $3.45M is set to be the largest single-year earnings figure of Kahnle’s career, which is telling of how much faith the Dodgers have in Kahnle to make a full recovery.
Tommy Kahnle’s pitching repertoire is based around his changeup, a pitch he threw 52.4% of the time during the 2019 season. The change in velocity makes his pitch mix one that generates whiffs at a high rate. Since debuting in 2014, Kahnle has posted a swing and miss rate above 45% on his changeup in five seasons.
Following the 2021 season, Dodgers relievers Kenley Jansen, Joe Kelly, and Corey Knebel are set to enter free agency, although Kelly’s contract includes a club option. With Kahnle under contract for the next two seasons, the right-handed pitcher may assume a high leverage role in the Dodgers’ bullpen in 2022 should Jansen skip town next winter.
Tommy Kahnle will turn 32 years old next August.
Photo Credit: Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
