DETROIT >> The Tigers on Wednesday reached an agreement with veteran right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle on a one-year deal worth $7.75 million.

The deal, which is pending a physical, was first reported by Jon Heyman and confirmed to The Detroit News by a source familiar with the negotiations.

Kahnle, 35, has been a model of consistency the last three seasons, posting 2.44 ERA and a 1.063 WHIP with the Dodgers in 2022 and the Yankees the last two seasons. Last season in 50 games he had a 2.11 ERA, 1.148 WHIP with 46 strikeouts in 42.2 innings.

He started last season on the injured list with shoulder soreness. But he quickly became the Yankees’ most reliable reliever for a three-month stretch. In 33 appearances from June 12 through the end of August, Kahnle allowed two earned runs in 28.2 innings with 31 strikeouts.

He’s logged 30 innings in the postseason over his career, including 8.2 last season. He didn’t allow an earned run until his last outing, which came in Game 5 of the World Series.

The 10-year veteran adds a different look to the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen in that he features an elite and unique changeup, one he threw 73% of the time last season. He throws it between 87 and 88 mph off a 94-mph four-seamer. Last season, the changeup limited hitters to a .173 average and a 39% swing and miss rate.

At one point last season, he threw 61 straight changeups.

Going back to 2019 when he made the changeup his primary pitch, opponents hit .163 (65 for 397) against it with 155 strikeouts.

Overall last season, Kahnle got hitters to chase pitches out of the strike zone 31% and whiff 36%. The swing-and-miss ability, as well as the uniqueness of his changeup, adds a dimension to the Tigers’ ‘pen that was missing last season.

The Tigers had been linked to several top-end relievers this offseason, including Kirby Yates, who signed a one-year deal worth $13 million with the Dodgers. Others at the top of the market, like Tanner Scott, Jeff Hoffman, Blake Treinen, A.J. Minter and Clay Holmes all signed deals that average between $11 and $18 million per season.

Interesting, too, is that Kahnle has only 18 save opportunities (with eight saves) over his career. He’s never been a closer, which seems to fit with the way the Tigers, under manager AJ Hinch and pitching coach Chris Fetter, like to construct the bullpen — without assigned, traditional roles.

Kahnle is expected to join Tyler Holton, Jason Foley, Beau Brieske and Will Vest as late-game options. It’s also going to create an even more intense battle for the final three bullpen spots this spring with Alex Faedo, Brenan Hanifee, Sean Guenther, Brant Hurter with the possibility of a starting pitcher eventually transitioning to a relief role (Matt Manning, Ty Madden, Kenta Maeda, among others).