The Twins designated right-hander Michael Tonkin for assignment, Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reports (Twitter link). A corresponding move will be made before the Twins’ game with the Red Sox on Sunday.
Tonkin has a 6.52 ERA, 11.2 K/9 and 6.5 BB/9 over 9 2/3 relief innings for Minnesota this season. While the lack of control is a new problem for Tonkin, he continued to struggle at keeping the ball in the park. Over the last three seasons, Tonkin has posted an ungainly 1.7 HR/9, or 20 homers allowed in just 104 2/3 innings of work. The 6’7″ righty is able to miss bats with a fastball that averages 93.9mph, though his increased strikeout totals over the last two seasons have come at the cost of the home run ball and (especially this year) more walks.
Originally a 30th-round pick for the Twins in the 2008, Tonkin has spent his entire career in Minnesota’s organization, with a 4.47 ERA over 135 IP in the bigs and a 3.04 ERA over 444 2/3 IP in the minors.
First santana now tonkin glad to see the new front office cutting the fat off the roster that ryan let sit there for years.
Will there be any resolution to the gulf in Tonkin’s career?
….Other than a negative WAR, that is……
This is the greatest comment Ive ever seen.
Bout time. See ya….
Any speculation on the corresponding roster move?
Between Gibson, Santana, and now Tonkin… it’s clear that although Falvey and co. didn’t blow the franchise up over the offseason, they certainly aren’t going to sit around giving fifty one-last-shots to guys that aren’t getting it done. Ryan took a long, long time to admit his guys weren’t working.