Michael Kohn finds new home in AL East

Former Los Angeles Angels reliever Michael Kohn has found a new home in the American League East with the Tampa Bay Rays. He signed a one-year Major League contract with the club. The 13th round draft pick back in 2008 was granted free-agency by the Angels on September 8, after he was outrighted off the 40-man roster.

Kohn played in four seasons with the Angels, (2010 & ’11, 2013 & ’14). He missed the entirety of the 2012 season after having Tommy John Surgery. He returned in 2013 to pitch a full season, accumulating 53 innings, and posting an ERA of 3.74. This was his best season as an Angel as he showed good stuff in the late innings and was able to have success missing bats with his mid-90’s heater.

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The 2014 season wasn’t the best for Kohn as he only pitched in 25 games out of the Angels bullpen and walked 20 batters. He walked nearly eight batters per nine innings, which in the long run kept him off the mound in an Angels uniform. The one thing you ask of your bullpen is to come into the game and throw strikes. Kohn couldn’t do that and found himself getting less innings.

Kohn will join the Rays, who will have a new general manager after Andrew Friedman left Tampa Bay to head to the other Los Angeles club, the Dodgers. Kohn will be in a bullpen that struggled overall in 2014. Hopefully he will find his niche and have a successful tenure in the sunshine state. He is arbitration eligible this offseason and will become a free-agent in 2018. Best of luck to Michael and his future endeavors as a Ray!