Michael

Tonkin

No real surprises as Minnesota cleans up its 40-man roster heading into the offseason. Miranda is a notable name considering his former prospect status, but he hasn’t made an impact at the highest level since the 2024 season when he appeared in a career-high 121 games.

Tonkin debuted for the Twins in 2013, but he notched just three wins in 141 appearances over five seasons before departing for Japan. He won seven times for the Braves in 2023 and four times for the Mets and Yankees last season, but his last win for the Twins was on September 29, 2016, also against the Royals. Alas, he didn’t face Salvador Perez in that one. He struck out Perez for his final out in the top of the 11th today.

Cole Sands pitched the eighth inning, leaving the ninth inning for Michael Tonkin. Unfortunately, Tonkin allowed two runs to score. The Twins turned to Ramirez with one out, clinging to a one-run lead. He retired both batters he faced, recording the save. For Ramirez, who debuted in 2012 with the Mariners, it was just the sixth save of his career. This has become a situation for fantasy managers to avoid, though Sands is still probably the best bet for saves going forward.

One more go for the 35-year-old Tonkin, who debuted with the Twins in 2013 and, seven years after his initial departure, rejoined the club to make 13 appearances last season. He had a 4.82 ERA but a nice 34/7 K/BB in 28 innings for St. Paul.

The 35-year-old right-hander was activated from the 60-day IL earlier in the week and designated for assignment. He passed through waivers unclaimed and chose to accept the outright assignment to Triple-A to remain in the Twins’ organization. He’ll continue to round back into shape following a right shoulder strain at the Triple-A level.

The 35-year-old right-hander is currently on a minor league rehab assignment while recovering from a right shoulder strain. Nothing has changed in his prognosis, this was done as a procedural move to free up a spot on the team’s 40-man roster for Ryan Fitzgerald who had his contract selected on Friday.

Tonkin will likely need a good handful of appearances before he’s ready to rejoin the Minnesota bullpen. The 6-foot-7 right-hander will be a mid-inning option for the Twins’ relief group whenever he’s ready; likely around the end of April.

The 35-year-old right-hander is expected to stay behind in extended spring training for a couple of weeks as he builds back up following time off due to a rotator cuff strain. If all goes well, he should be able to join the Twins’ bullpen at some point before the end of April.

The strain is being called ‘slight,’ and the Twins plan on reevaluating Tonkin in the next 7-10 days. The right-hander was solid in 2024, and expected to be a mid-to-late inning option if healthy in 2025. His status for Opening Day, however, is obviously in question.

Tonkin, 35, was projected by MLBTradeRumors.com to earn $1.5 million via the arbitration process, so it looks like the team may have gotten a slight discount on this one. The right-hander appeared in 57 contests between the Twins, Yankees and Mets in 2024, registering a 3.63 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and an 85/30 K/BB ratio over 79 1/3 innings while notching a pair of saves. Expect him to work in a middle relief role once again for the Twins in 2025.