page_title: Ian Kennedy
section_title: New York Yankees
hierarchical_section_title: Ian Kennedy / Professional career / New York Yankees
caption_attribution_description: Ian Kennedy
context_page_description: Ian Patrick Kennedy is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. He previously played for the New York Yankees, Arizona Diamondbacks, and San Diego Padres.
  Kennedy attended the University of Southern California, where he played college baseball for the Trojans. He made his MLB debut with the Yankees in 2007, and was traded to the Diamondbacks after the 2009 season. Kennedy played for Arizona through 2013, when he was traded to the Padres. Since 2016, he has been a member of the Kansas City Royals.
context_section_description: Kennedy made his major league debut with the New York Yankees on September 1, 2007 in place of Mike Mussina, to whom he has been compared. He earned the win, allowing three runs (only one earned run) in seven innings, striking out six, walking two, and allowing five hits. Kennedy said before his first game:
  I didn't want to be shellshocked. I wanted to act like I belong here. It's a dream come true. You see the stadium on TV and you wish and hope you'll be out there like those guys.
  On November 28, 2007 Kennedy was named the 26th best prospect by Minor League Baseball's official website.
  Despite having been replaced by Kennedy in the rotation in 2007, Mussina became a mentor for Kennedy and other young pitchers on the Yankee roster even requesting that Kennedy and Phil Hughes receive lockers next to his during 2008 spring training.
  On May 4, 2008 Kennedy was demoted to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after a poor start to the 2008 season.
  Ian dominated in his first start back with AAA Scranton/Wilkes Barre, tossing 7.1 innings of 1-hit ball while striking out eight.
  On May 28, 2008, after enduring a strained right lat muscle, and being diagnosed with bursitis behind the scapular, Kennedy was placed on the DL, expected to miss at least 15 days. He returned to the AAA affiliate of the New York Yankees, struggling in his first few starts before going on a three-game tear. From July 19 to 29, Kennedy pitched 20 innings, allowing 7 hits which yielded 3 runs, while collecting 14 Ks, and walking only 4. On July 24, Kennedy had another no-hitter broken up, after pitching a dominant 6​²⁄₃ innings.
  Kennedy made his return to the major leagues on August 8, starting in place of an injured Joba Chamberlain. After a poor outing against the Angels, in which he surrendered 5 runs in 2 innings, Kennedy was optioned in favour of Billy Traber on August 10.
  Kennedy was diagnosed with an aneurysm under his right armpit and underwent surgery May 12, 2009, at Roosevelt Hospital in New York under the care of Dr. George Todd, the same doctor who performed David Cone's procedure on an aneurysm in 1996.
  On September 19, Ian Kennedy was called up from the minors. On September 23, Kennedy made an appearance against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. He hit one batter and walked two others, but allowed no hits while pitching a scoreless 8th inning.
  Kennedy was not on the post-season roster for the Yankees during their run towards winning the 2009 World Series.
caption: Kennedy pitching for the New York Yankees in 2008
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