Michael Tonkin’s tumultuous journey toward the start of the 2024 season has reached the Yankees.
They became the right-handed relief pitcher’s latest transfer target after he was claimed off waivers by the Mets on Thursday and Tonkin started the year with the Mets, then was released to the Twins when designated, and then Minnesota also became a DFA. He claimed to have returned to Queens after being arrested. he.
He appeared in two other games with the Mets and will now pitch for the Mets’ crosstown rival after hitting waivers for the third time in 17 days.
Tonkin pitched in five games for the Mets, going 1-2 with a 5.14 ERA, but struggled most of the time after pitching two scoreless innings on March 29.
In the game against the Tigers on April 1st, he allowed 5 earned runs in the 10th inning, but in the 11th inning of the loss, he gave up 3 runs, including 2 earned runs.
He was subsequently designated a DFA and traded to the Twins for cash on April 9th.
In his only appearance at the University of Minnesota, he had five strikeouts in two innings, but gave up two runs with a hit, a walk, and consecutive singles.
Four days later, Tonkin was again granted immunity.
Tonkin’s career has also been full of movement.
He made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2013 and stayed with them for six more seasons.
After that, he pitched for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2018.
A suspension with the Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League, a stint in the Dominican Republic Winter League, and several minor league contracts were mixed in.
However, Tonkin did not have a sense of stability after being with the Twins until last year when he appeared in 45 games with the Braves (his most in an MLB season since 2016), but he recorded a 4.28 ERA and parlayed that success into an opportunity with the Mets. Connected.
By the end of spring training, he had secured one of the last spots in the bullpen.
Still, despite the constant shuffling, the Yankees decided to give Tonkin a chance and add some organizational depth to a bullpen currently dealing with injuries to right-handers Jonathan Loaisiga and Tommy Kahnle. Loaisiga will be out for the season and Kahnle will be out for 15 days. MLB level injury list.
In a corresponding move, they designated reliever McKinley Moore, who ballooned to a 27.00 ERA in two starts with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, to assignment to add a spot on the 40-man roster.
