Twins Video
His first stint with the 2024 Twins could hardly have been a less fulfilling homecoming for Michael Tonkin, whom the team drafted in the now-defunct 30th round back in 2008 and who pitched his first five big-league seasons in Minnesota. This time, he comes back with a real chance to make the playoff roster and contribute substantial, medium-leverage relief innings.
After being let go by the Mets early this season, Tonkin landed with the Twins only for a couple of days, making one forgettable appearance. After that, he was designated for assignment again, and the Yankees scooped him up--whereupon he found a new way to succeed against big-league hitters, at age 34. Now, he's back with Minnesota, after being a victim of the perpetual roster crunch faced by big-market teams who invest in redundancy.
While he called the Bronx home, though, Tonkin did a lot of good work. He piled up 56 innings with a 3.38 ERA, largely supported by peripheral indicators. He struck out 24.6% of opposing batters and walked 9.1%, thanks in part (albeit indirectly) to an increased reliance on his sinker.
The Twins were never going to be the place where Tonkin discovered the utility of that pitch; almost no team in baseball throws fewer sinkers. They don't teach it often, or especially well. However, the Yankees do, and Tonkin discovered that he could play off the naturally significant arm-side run of his four-seamer to make the heavy sinker a highly effective alternative look. Having two flavors of slider only made that play up more nicely.
None of his four offerings misses bats the way you want a relief pitcher's out pitch to do so, and both versions of his fastball are a little underheated, sitting 91-94 and touching only a tick higher. As a four-pitch mix, though, it plays like a small-town symphony--less grand than the big-city version, a bit less technically brilliant, but more accessible.
Tonkin can slot right into the middle of Rocco Baldelli's bullpen depth chart, and as long as his new, old team doesn't mess with what he's been doing lately, it should be a fruitful new, old partnership. This is the kind of pickup the team has been craving: a bit of newfound versatility and stability in the bridge from their young starters to their fireballing relief aces.
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now