It’s not the free-agent help Detroit Tigers’ fans were eyeing.

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It’s not the free-agent help Detroit Tigers’ fans were eyeing.

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Most of the off-season watch with the Tigers has centred around free-agent third baseman Alex Bregman.

While Bregman remains on the market, the Tigers looked to beef up the team’s bullpen by inking right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle to a one-year deal for $7.75 million.

“I think every organization in baseball is looking for pitching right now,” Tigers’ president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “So, there’s a market for pitching clearly.

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“We are excited to add Tommy because he induces an impressive combination of swing and miss and ground balls. He can get outs in multiple ways. He can handle righties and lefties and he gives our pen a different look.”

A changeup specialist, Kahnle is the second member of the American League champion New York Yankees to sign with Detroit along with infielder Gleyber Torres. He and right-hander Alex Cobb, who split last season between San Francisco and Cleveland, both inked one-year deals for $15 million.

“We’re not done,” said Harris, who did not discuss Bregman or former Tiger and free-agent starter Jack Flaherty. “We’re going to try and find new ways to make this team better. There’s a number of ways we can do it. Free agency, trade, if we’re talking about (Tigers’ left-handed reliever) Tyler Holton, waiver claims also. But we’re going to find ways to get better. Bullpen and our lineup are two areas that we are going to look to upgrade if we can.”

The 35-year-old Kahne, who made his Major League Baseball debut in 2014, has been one of baseball’s top relievers over the past two seasons after recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2020.

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In 92 games with the Yankees the past two seasons, Khanle allowed just 22 earned runs in 83 1/3 innings while striking out while walking 38 batters and striking out 93 hitters.

“He can handle righties (a career .206 batting average against) and lefties (a career .215 batting average against) and he gives our pen a different look,” Harris said. “We were looking for someone that can get outs in leverage spots and he has a history of doing that and he’s performed as one of the better relievers in all of baseball over the last couple years. So, we’re excited to add him to our group.”

While right-hander Jason Foley paced the team with 28 saves last season, the club had no official closer at the end of last season and Kahnle will likely go into a mix along with Foley, right-hander Beau Brieske, Holton and right-hander Will Vest.

“As far as how he fits at the end of games, he can pitch anywhere,” Harris said of Khanle. “He’s demonstrated in his career that he can get outs anywhere. I think we demonstrated as a team last year that we can get to the finish line in a number of different ways and I think that does give us an edge. How it all shakes out, I’m not quite sure, we’re not done building our team yet.

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“I think the way we pitched last year, especially in the pen, helps give us a bit of an edge and our players have spoken up about how some really like it.”

To make room on the 40-man roster for Khanle, the Tigers designated right-hander Alex Faedo for assignment. The 29-year-old Faedo, who was a first-round pick by Detroit in 2017, appeared in 37 games for the Tigers last season and made six starts while going 5-3 with a 3.61 earned-run average.

“It’s a move we really didn’t want to make, but our 40 man is getting more talented these days and anytime you add a new play to the roster it costs you a valuable contributor on the back end of your 40,” Harris said. “It’s an unfortunate cost that comes with adding to our team.”

jpparker@postmedia.com

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