The Twins have claimed veteran relief pitcher Michael Tonkin off waivers from the Yankees. It’ll be his second stint with Minnesota this season and the third of his career. Tonkin was DFA’d by New York a couple days ago despite pitching well for them for much of the spring and early summer.
Tonkin had a 3.38 ERA and 57 strikeouts in 56 innings pitched with the Yankees. Despite some recent struggles, the 34-year-old could potentially enter a meaningful role for a Twins bullpen that needs someone to emerge outside of Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Cole Sands, and Jorge Alcala.
Tonkin began his MLB career with the Twins, making 141 appearances for Minnesota from 2013-17. He was then out of the big leagues for five full seasons, pitching in Japan, Mexico, Triple-A, and even independent ball before making his return with the Braves last season. This year, Tonkin had brief stints with the Mets and Twins before latching on with the Yankees.
In May and June, Tonkin was one of the Yankees’ better relievers. He allowed just two runs in 16.1 innings in June for a 1.10 ERA. But he had a 5.02 ERA in July and a 6.57 mark in August before getting designated for assignment. He’ll be looking to bounce back with the Twins.
Tonkin’s overall numbers with the Yankees were strong, but his expected numbers this season are rather mediocre. Expectations for what he can do with the Twins should be tempered — he’s a waiver claim, after all. With that said, it’s certainly possible that he could surpass the likes of Caleb Thielbar, Trevor Richards, Ronny Henriquez, and Scott Blewett in the Twins’ bullpen pecking order.
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