Yankees’ beloved reliever is a ‘psychopath,’ teammate says

Jul 04, 2023

Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle has one of the most eccentric personalities in the clubhouse.AP

What do you do when something doesn’t go your way?

Some people vent or get upset. Maybe throw things. Others take a deep breath. Maybe you immediately turn it into a lesson.

For New York Yankees reliever Tommy Kahnle — lovingly called a “psychopath” by ace Gerrit Cole — he takes out a razor (or buzzer) and gets to work. Seriously.

The 34-year-old Kahnle shaves his body when he allows a run (even it’s an inherited one) — just ask teammates Michael King or Clarke Schmidt, who saw it most recently prior to the All-Star break. It was all documented in the New York Daily News on Monday.

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“So then the next day, I walk in, and – I said whole body. It’s like from waist up,” said King, who was recalling the situation from the minors. “He is covered in shaving cream. Just shaved his whole body. I was like, ‘What?’

“He’s like, ‘It’s a punishment. It’s a punishment. You want to be hairy.’ I was like, ‘Okay … sounds good, dude.’”

The story explored some of the eccentricities of Kahnle, who has spent parts of five seasons with the big-league club and three separate stints with the organization. As NJ Advance Media’s Randy Miller said recently, he is “loud and obnoxious” but also a pretty good pitcher, too (2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings). In short, he seems like a fun, spirited guy who enjoys life and people.

“I first come in, I probably seem a little over the top,” Kahnle said. “But I could tell guys, the more they’re around me, the more they start to kind of like it. It keeps guys loose and they have fun.”

Khanle said that habit began at Lynn University, where he did it “everyday.” (No word on if he was joking or not.)

He confirmed the “entire body, not the legs” and said the organization must “love” that he takes the clean-cut policy of the Yankees so seriously.

“Psychopath, that guy,” Cole said.

There are all kinds of people in the world — and the clubhouse. Clearly.

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Jimmy Hascup may be reached at [email protected].

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