{"id":9392,"date":"2025-05-08T01:29:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T01:29:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/9392\/"},"modified":"2025-05-08T01:29:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T01:29:11","slug":"detroit-tigers-tommy-kahnle-reflects-on-10-years-of-mlb-service-time-its-an-honor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/9392\/","title":{"rendered":"Detroit Tigers’ Tommy Kahnle reflects on 10 years of MLB service time: ‘It’s an honor’"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a rookie in 2014, Detroit Tigers<\/a> reliever Tommy Kahnle<\/a> never imagined he’d reach 10 years of MLB service time. The milestone is considered the holy grail for players, fully vesting them in the pension plan<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For Kahnle, it started to feel within reach when he received his gold card \u2014\u00a0an lifetime pass granting free admittance to any MLB regular-season game \u2014\u00a0after hitting eight years of service time.<\/p>\n

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“You’re like, ‘Oh, wow, only two years left,'” Kahnle said.<\/p>\n

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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tommy Kahnle (43) runs onto the field for ninth inning against Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park in Detroit on Thursday, April 17, 2025.<\/p>\n

On May 6, Kahnle’s career clock struck 10 years.<\/p>\n

“It’s been a long time,” Kahnle said.<\/p>\n

He added: “Did I ever think I’d get to this point? Probably not.”<\/p>\n

Fittingly, the Tigers were scheduled to play the Colorado Rockies<\/a> at Coors Field \u2014\u00a0the site of Kahnle’s MLB debut on April 3, 2014, as a member of the Rockies \u2014\u00a0but the first game of the series was postponed due to rain.<\/p>\n

That didn’t stop the celebration.<\/p>\n

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“The rain made us not play, but it doesn’t take the day away from Tommy,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch<\/a>. “We had a little celebration inside during our mini workout. It’s a huge accomplishment to stand this test of time.”<\/p>\n

“It’s an honor,” Kahnle said.<\/p>\n

The 35-year-old has pitched in 11 MLB seasons for five teams: Rockies (2014-15), Chicago White Sox<\/a> (2016-17), New York Yankees<\/a> (2017-20, 2023-24), Los Angeles Dodgers (2022) and Tigers (2025). Over 402 games \u2014 all as a reliever \u2014\u00a0he owns a 3.38 ERA with 176 walks and 464 strikeouts across 386\u2153 innings.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0Yankees\u00a0selected\u00a0Kahnle \u2014\u00a0a\u00a0native\u00a0of\u00a0upstate\u00a0New\u00a0York \u2014\u00a0in\u00a0the\u00a0fifth\u00a0round\u00a0of\u00a0the 2010\u00a0MLB Draft\u00a0out\u00a0of\u00a0Lynn\u00a0University, then the Rockies scooped him up in the 2013 Rule 5 Draft.<\/p>\n

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The high point of his career was competing in the 2024 World Series, whereas the low point was undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2020.<\/p>\n

“That’s what I’ve been searching for these last five, six years,” Kahnle said of the World Series, which the Yankees lost to the Dodgers. “You really hone in on trying to win and get it done. Last year sucked, but it was also pretty awesome to get there.”<\/p>\n

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There are plenty of miles on his arm, but Kahnle still shows up to the ballpark with a youthful energy.<\/p>\n

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“It’s kept me going,” he said.<\/p>\n

Fewer than 10% of all MLB players reach 10 years of service time.<\/p>\n

And Kahnle is one of them.<\/p>\n

“Definitely pride,” he said. “It’s hard to get to this point. The amount of guys I played with through the minors and the majors, and then I’m the one that somehow managed to wiggle all the way here, it is crazy to think about. It’s a cool moment.”<\/p>\n

Free Press columnist Jeff Seidel contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

Contact Evan Petzold at\u00a0epetzold@freepress.com<\/a>\u00a0or follow him\u00a0@EvanPetzold<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers’ Tommy Kahnle reaches 10 years of MLB service time<\/a><\/p>\n