Right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle and the Detroit Tigers are in agreement on a one-year, $7.75 million contract, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, fortifying a bullpen that was at the forefront of the team's surge to a postseason spot last year.

Kahnle, 35, whose deal is pending a physical, is coming off a strong season with the New York Yankees in which he posted a 2.11 ERA in 42 innings. Over the past two seasons, Kahnle has a 2.38 ERA, the 11th best in MLB among pitchers with at least 80 innings.

In Kahnle, the Tigers add a reliever who pitches backward more than anyone in baseball. Last season, Kahnle threw his changeup 73.1% of the time -- nearly 20 percentage points higher than any other pitcher. At one point in the 2024 postseason, Kahnle threw 61 consecutive changeups.

When Kahnle is healthy -- an issue in past seasons -- the pitch is a devastating complement to a 94 mph fastball and a show-me slider. Kahnle struck out 46 against 19 walks in 2024 while allowing five home runs. Over his 10-year career, Kahnle is 10-14 with a 3.47 ERA and 452 strikeouts, 173 walks and 40 home runs allowed in 373 innings.

None of Detroit's deep relief core relies heavily on a changeup, giving manager A.J. Hinch a solid complementary arm as he aims to piece together games. With injuries hampering their rotation last fall, Hinch relied heavily on a bullpen that threw a major-league-high 141 innings in September and was third in baseball with a 2.41 ERA.

The Tigers, who on Aug. 10 were 55-63, surged to a 33-13 finish and ousted American League West champion Houston before falling to AL Central rival Cleveland in the division series.

Kahnle's signing continued an active period for relief pitchers, with the Los Angeles Dodgers signing right-hander Kirby Yates to a one-year, $13 million contract and right-hander Ryne Stanek agreeing to a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the New York Mets.

Plenty of solid relief options remain on the market, including right-handers Carlos Estevez, Kenley Jansen, David Robertson, Kyle Finnegan and Adam Ottavino, and left-handers Tim Hill, Brooks Raley, Andrew Chafin, Jalen Beeks and Colin Poche.