The Yankees announced that Phil Bickford has rejoined the team on a new Major League contract, and the veteran righty has been selected to the club’s active roster. In the corresponding move, right-hander Michael Tonkin was designated for assignment.
Bickford first joined the Yankees on a minor league deal back in April, and after that contract was selected to the big league roster in late June, Bickford posted an ungainly 14.40 ERA in five innings over five appearances before New York designated him for assignment. Upon clearing waivers in July, Bickford opted for free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A, and he’ll now head back to the Bronx after a little less than eight weeks on the open market.
A veteran of five Major League seasons, Bickford’s high point was the 2.81 ERA he posted over 51 1/3 relief innings for the Brewers and Dodger in 2021. Since that season, Bickford has a 5.20 ERA in 133 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees, along with a 25.3% strikeout rate and 9.3% walk rate.
There isn’t much to like about Bickford’s recent MLB track record, but he did pitch quite well at the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate this season, so the club had enough comfort in Bickford to sign him to a guaranteed deal. Bickford is out of minor league options, and thus would have to be designated for assignment if New York wanted to move him down to Triple-A again.
On the surface, replacing Tonkin with Bickford seems like a curious move since Tonkin has a 3.38 ERA, 24.6% strikeout rate, and 9.1% walk rate in 56 relief innings for the New York bullpen this season. While the overall numbers are solid, however, Tonkin has a 9.39 ERA in his last 7 2/3 innings, and has been charged with multiple runs in three of his last five appearances. This includes two runs allowed over 1 2/3 innings in yesterday’s 9-2 Yankees loss to the Rockies, so today’s transaction could be a way to get Bickford’s fresher arm into the bullpen.
Tonkin is also out of minor league options, which relates to the transactional carousel that has largely defined his 2024 season. He signed a $1MM split contract with the Mets in the offsesason, then went to the Twins (his original MLB team) after being DFA’ed in April, but was claimed back by the Mets shortly thereafter when Minnesota also designated Tonkin. He hit the waiver wire yet again less than a week later and was claimed by the Yankees, and Tonkin then achieved some stability with an extended stretch of time in the Bronx bullpen before now again entering DFA limbo. If he clears waivers, Tonkin can elect free agency in lieu of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A, but he would have to give up the remainder of his guaranteed salary.
They got as much as anybody could have out of Tonkin. Time to move on.
But re-signing another Ex-Met isn’t the answer to filling out their bullpen.
Seems like the Yankees have been using the Mets as their AAA team.
Tonkin…Bickford….Dennis Santana and Miguel Castro before them. Only difference is that each of these guys were let go by the Mets. A sure sign to stay away.
I would rather see Ron Marinaccio from Syracuse or Zach Messinger from Somerset up here than any old Mets
re-tread.
The Yankees were able to narrow his pitch selection leading to his success, but he’s always had a ticking clock over his head. The Yankees have four other bullpen arms rehabbing who they will need to make room for soon enough. Tonkin will be picked up again, especially after his recent Yankees success.
Too bad they didn’t designate Holmes. He will be the reason the Yankees get bounced from the playoffs.
Tbh if there’s any pitcher that I don’t ever want to see on the mound again it’s Will Warren.
Meh. A little early to throw dirt on his grave. He has potential to be #4. Talk to me after he makes 30 appearances.
Who closes and is more effective if they release Holmes?
They’re definitely not releasing Holmes but Cousins is making a compelling argument for a shot at closing
I think the reason our Yanks get bounced has more to do with their not being able to score outside of Judge and Soto, who opposing teams will simply walk in the postseason.
And then The Yankees administration will once again be surprised that things turned out this way, but blame injuries, the roof being open, and anything else to detract from bad roster construction.
Surely you can’t be saying it’s Cashman and Fishman’s fault.
@Clip The offense lacks consistency of outside of Judge and Soto and the starting pitching is the same as well. Excellent teams sweep teams like the Rockies, White Sox, and A’s sometimes loses series to good teams like the Guardians. They’re unpredicatable but still one of the better teams but not a great one. Rodon, this season, epitomizes the Yankees.
Excellent points and analogy.
Totally random, I didn’t realize Tonkin was an absolute unit at 6’7 lol bro got that height
keep the faith
every team has flaws this season
just need to get hot at the right time
Bickford was a former first round pick. Perhaps at some point he’ll realize his potential for these teams he always goes too with his lofty draft status
He was drafted by the Bobby Evans regime of the Giants, his draft status means nothing…
Tonkin isn’t great but he’s been good this year. Bickfords era is 14, though in only 5 innings. I don’t quite understand this move.
They have other relievers coming back from injury, he will be gone in a day or two!
Unfortunately, the Yankees need to keep sorting out their bullpen this season and he’s become a casualty of roster crunch.
Yankee fans: Is Soto coming back next year or will he take 50 mill a year from dodgers replacing Teo in left field.next year. ?
If anything I think the Mets would be the team to sign Soto if he doesn’t stay with the Yankees
I think and hope he’ll stay with the Yankees. He’s a fantastic fit, and what superstar would pass up the opportunity to become one of the all time Yankee greats? He really has a great thing going with them!
its a matter of dollars at that point.
Before even the teams arbitration hearings and assuming Soto signs at a discount of 45M as most have him going 50M+ the Yanks will be over or close to the lowest tier of the luxury depending on final numbers. Thats with only 7 or 8 players for the 40 man roster including needing potentially a 1B, C, and 3B and pretty much an entire bullpen including closer. So majority of the roster will basically be taxed as a multiyear offender and Steinbrenner was already talking about dollars. Not sure if the Yankees are willing to push past the Cohen top.
The Yankees have plenty of internal options to fill those spots. Rice at 1B although they could bring in a cheap veteran righty to platoon there. Wells is clearly the C going forward. Depending on whether Jazz plays 2B or 3B next year, they have Oswaldo, Berti, Peraza, Durbin, and Vivas as options. They have a plethora of big league ready bullpen arms sitting in AAA right now plus a couple AA arms who could move to the bullpen at some point next year. The Yankees don’t need to sign anyone outside of Soto this offseason
I havent watched in the last week or so as i been away but seems Rice and Wells are being platooned and it seems DJ has played quite a bit at 1b. Also not sure if it changed but one of Rice and Wells wasnt even batting 200. i believe Trevino is getting more of the starts over Wells but he is arb eligible so not included in those dollars,. Jazz i assumed 2b (also not included in those dollars as he is also arb eligible and probably jumping quite a bit after his time this year.)
Also for relievers if they were major league ready why are none of them up now with this push to the world series. The bullpen seems to need the help and getting players outside the team. depth even with options available on i believe all the ones on the 40 man roster.
Yes, Rice is probably a strong side platoon guy but a right handed 1B platoon guy would not cost much in free agency. The Yankees have faced a lot of lefties since Trevino came back and also had a few day games after night games so it’s looked more like an even split. Plus Wells was playing nearly every day while Trevi was out. The Yankees have made a point to take advantage of their 40 man roster depth with the rotation this year and hold off making permanent decisions until necessary. Tonkin is completely shot at this point so there was no reason to keep him any longer. Guys like Marinaccio and Gomez have options so they’re being held down until needed.
The Yankees are more than capable of retaining Soto and still staying well under the top luxury tax line
soto: i know the mets are offering the most money but i really really really don’t want to play there. please don’t make me
boras: i’m sorry but this is how it goes. call hal and beg him to match the offer
soto: i thought that was your job
boras: sorry you’re breaking up. gotta go
You mean $50 million from Mets. Dodgers not taking on another $500-600 million contract period!!
I do believe he stays with the Yankees.
Scott Effross has also been making some rehab appearances in the minors.
Phil Bickford can always go into character acting, like his great-uncle Charles Bickford.
Look up the story where Charles Bickford plays the patient old doctor to a young, eager medic named William Shatner.
I don’t understand this awful roster management. They keep adding veterans with no minor league options (Mayza, Bickford, Hill) when they have relievers on the 40 man with minor league options (Marinaccio, Gomez, Effross, Burdi). Not on the roster but maybe Eric Ryzelman from AA, since they traded away Jack Neely as a non-roster option.
Bickford and Hill are just warm bodies who will be gone before long. I think they view Mayza as a reclamation project for next year so he’ll likely hang around but be left off the postseason roster. Effross, along with a couple others you mentioned, should be up very soon
There’s such a difference, such a wide gap, between journeyman and solid player.
You could call it the Gulf of Tonkin.
Grossly overused and then cast aside. Next! Boonedoggle kills another pitcher. Many more to follow. The roation will watch the wheels come off in September when they all reach their expiration dates. Gil Toe already is showing signs of wobblage, Rodent will soon get caught in the trap, Nestor will fester and burn up, Straw Man will lose his brain and forget the Pythagorean Theorem, so that pitchers 3 – 4 – 5 can watch their legs crumble under them as they high pop and lose. That was fun.
Thanks for playing, Gulf of Tonkin! Your time is up in pinstripes. Bickford will come in for mop up duty after Stromam’s 2-1/3 inning performance before being DFA’d again. Let the revolving door of medicore pitchers continue!
There’s little flexibility in the bullpen with too many of these guys with no options left. Boone waiting for Hamilton or Trivino.
Didn’t like Tonkin at first but he pitched decently and in various roles/lengths.
Is Marionaccio not that good? His stats don’t look horrible. I’m guessing hes a Drew Smith type pitcher. Pitches well in blowouts but when the games on the line he pitches awful
This move is ridiculous. Tonkin has been reliable and Bickford is atrocious. Did Birdi and/or Effross have a health set back? They at least have a track record of being effective
I’m starting to think Scott Effross isn’t a real person
Another day and another relief option comes and goes. The starting pitching has been horrible because they can’t go at least 7 innings. The BP is exhausted coming in early every game, including Stroman today. Tonkin was doing better thab most. It’s a real shame.
And yet they kept Mayza. God almighty. Reeks of Felix Heredia vibes
Twins should bring him back. Our bullpen is running on fumes and needs some reinforcements.