Tonkin picked up the save in Thursday's 8-3 win over the Rockies. He allowed a hit and a walk while striking out six over 3.1 scoreless innings.
Tonkin was dominant in relief Thursday to earn his first career save. He now sports a 3.21 ERA with a 0.95 WHIP and a 28:7 K:BB through 33.2 innings this season. While the 33-year-old Tonkin won't see any ninth-inning usage, he could work his way into a higher-leverage role with Atlanta while Jesse Chavez (lower leg) is on the IL.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Activated from injured list
Rotowire
Atlanta activated Tonkin (neck) from the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Tonkin is back to fill a multi-inning bullpen role for the current NL East leaders after needing a couple weeks off due to a neck injury. Roddery Munoz was sent out in a corresponding roster move.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Placed on injured list
Rotowire
Tonkin was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a strained neck.
Tonkin has been solid out of the bullpen overall this season, but he's surrendered six earned runs through 7.1 innings in his last three appearances. He'll likely only require a minimum stint on the IL, and his move clears room for Atlanta to recall Dylan Dodd from Triple-A Gwinnett.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Collects another win
Rotowire
Tonkin (3-1) picked up the win in Sunday's extra-innings victory over the Orioles, striking out one over two perfect innings of relief.
The 33-year-old has made a remarkable return to the majors this season after last seeing time on an MLB roster in 2017 with the Twins. Tonkin has a 1.89 ERA, 0.58 WHIP and 15:3 K:BB through 19 innings, and while his role in the Atlanta bullpen limits his fantasy value, he's already tied his career high in wins and could end up vulturing a few more before the campaign is through.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: First MLB win since 2016
Rotowire
Tonkin (1-1) picked up the win in Tuesday's victory over the Reds, allowing one hit and striking out three over three scoreless innings of relief.
Kyle Wright lasted only three innings in his 2023 debut, but Tonkin took over in the top of the fourth and shut down Cincy's offense, giving Atlanta a chance to come back from a 4-2 deficit. It's the right-hander's first big-league win since 2016, and he's looked great in his return to the majors in a long-relief role, posting a 2.16 ERA and 7:1 K:BB through 8.1 innings for four appearances.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Takes loss to Friars
Rotowire
Tonkin (0-1) took the loss Friday as Atlanta fell 5-4 to the Padres, giving up one run on one hit and one walk over two innings while striking out one.
The 33-year-old righty hadn't pitched in the majors since 2017, but he won one of the final spots in the bullpen this spring and has been solid in a low-leverage role so far, posting a 3.38 ERA, 0.56 WHIP and 4:1 K:BB through 5.1 innings over three appearances. Tonkin has no minor-league options remaining, so he would be subject to waivers if Atlanta tried to send him down to Triple-A Gwinnett for a fresh arm.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Will make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Tonkin has been informed that he has made the Opening Day roster, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports.
Tonkin was added to the 40-man roster by Atlanta to protect him from the Rule 5 draft, and while he has forged a 5.87 ERA in 7.2 innings in the Grapefruit League, he's done enough to win a job to begin the season. It may be a short stint for Tonkin, however, as Bowman suggests Tonkin is likely the arm that gets sent down when Atlanta promotes Dylan Dodd for his start against the Cardinals next Tuesday.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Joins MLB roster
Rotowire
Tonkin was added to Atlanta's major-league roster Thursday.
The right-hander joined Atlanta on a minor-league contract for 2022 and will now enter the offseason on the big-league roster. Tonkin spent the campaign at Triple-A Gwinnett and had a 3.17 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 73:15 K:BB over 48.1 innings. He hasn't appeared in the majors since 2017 with Minnesota.
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Braves' Michael Tonkin: Signs with Atlanta
Rotowire
Tonkin signed a minor-league contract with Atlanta on Jan. 11.
Tonkin has thrown 146.1 innings at the highest level, posting a 4.43 ERA. The last of those came back in 2017, however. Since then, he's spent time pitching in Japan, Mexico and the independent Atlantic League, where he recorded an 0.53 ERA and a 21:5 K:BB last season in 17 innings as a member of the Long Island Ducks.
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Brewers' Michael Tonkin: Latches on with Brewers
Rotowire
Tonkin signed a minor-league contract with the Brewers on Friday.
It didn't take long for Tonkin to find a new home after being released by the Rangers earlier Friday. The right-hander spent last season in Japan, notching a 3.71 ERA in 51 innings for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He'll report to minor-league camp.
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Michael Tonkin: Let go by Rangers
Rotowire
Tonkin was released by the Rangers on Friday, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports.
Tonkin spent last season in Japan and signed a minor-league deal with the Rangers in January. The 29-year-old allowed one run on two hits over 4.2 spring innings, but Texas nonetheless decided to move in a different direction.
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Rangers' Michael Tonkin: Signs minors deal with Texas
Rotowire
Tonkin agreed to a minor-league deal with the Rangers on Tuesday, Brandon Warne of ZoneCoverage.com reports.
Tonkin had previously spent parts of five seasons with the Twins, throwing 146.1 innings of relief with a 4.43 ERA. He pitched for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in Japan last season, finishing with a 3.71 ERA in 51 innings.
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Michael Tonkin: Heads to Japan
Rotowire
Tonkin's rights were sold to the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball by the Twins on Tuesday, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports.
Tonkin is expected to serve as the closer for the team moving forward, and will receive a guaranteed deal of $2.1 million over the next two years. The right-hander only appeared in 16 games after pitching in 65 for the Twins in 2016, and didn't do much to warrant any real fantasy consideration, as he accumulated a 5.14 ERA and 1.62 WHIP over 21 innings out of the club's bullpen.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Contract selected by Twins
Rotowire
Tonkin had his contract selected by the Twins on Tuesday.
Tonkin will rejoin the big club after being designated for assignment by the Twins back in May. He posted an impressive 1.73 ERA and 61:13 K:BB through 41.2 innings with Triple-A Rochester, but his 6.55 ERA across 11 big-league innings this season will likely limit his opportunities to lower-leveraging situations. J.T. Chargois (elbow) was shifted to the 60-day disabled list to open up a spot on the 40-man roster for Tonkin.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Passes through waivers
Rotowire
Tonkin cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Rochester on Saturday, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
As expected, Tonkin will remain in the Twins organization as a farmhand. Given his 6.52 ERA in the majors this season, he'll likely just act as an organizational depth piece from now on.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Playing small role in pen
Rotowire
Tonkin has given up six runs, three of them earned, over seven innings to kick off the 2017 season.
Tonkin has not pitched in any significant situation yet this season, entering in the middle innings or in mop-up duty. He's struck out nine and walked five while allowing seven hits. In 2016, the 27-year-old surrendered 80 hits over 71.2 innings on his way to a 5.02 ERA.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Makes final roster
Rotowire
Tonkin has made the final roster as a reliever, Phil Miller of The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports.
The right-hander had plenty of opportunities to prove his worth this spring, compiling a 4.38 ERA over 12.1 innings in Grapefruit League play. Tonkin will look to improve upon a mediocre 2016 campaign in which he finished with a 5.02 ERA over 65 appearances along with an 80:24 K:BB ratio. Look for him to serve regularly as a middle reliever.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: May not make final roster
Rotowire
Tonkin gave up a run over two innings in Wednesday's spring training loss to Houston. He's competing for a final spot in the bullpen with J.T. Chargois and Alex Wimmers, Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Tonkin has a 4.35 ERA this spring and nine strikeouts in 10.3 innings, but he's allowed six walks. He allowed 12 home runs and had an ugly 5.02 ERA in the majors last year, but had a promising 10.1 K/9. The final bullpen spot may not be decided until the final days of spring training.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Plays catch Saturday
Rotowire
Tonkin (shoulder) was able to play catch Saturday and came away encouraged by this session, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press reports. "[The shoulder] is a little bit better [Saturday], but still a little sore," Tonkin said. "I'll just take it day by day and see what happens."
Tonkin has labeled his condition as "biceps tendinitis with some level of shoulder impingement" and could be sidelined for a few more days while he waits for the soreness to dissipate. The 26-year-old has seen heavy usage out of the Twins' bullpen this season, covering 63.2 innings over 56 appearances and posting a 4.95 ERA and 1.41 WHIP.
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Twins' Michael Tonkin: Improves from 2015
Rotowire
Tonkin pitched 1.2 innings in Tuesday's victory over the Marlins, retiring each of the five batters he faced.
Although his ERA has risen to 3.10 after being in the realm of 2.00 for the first month and a half of the 2016 campaign, Tonkin has made strides to improve his game, particularly in terms of pitch control. After walking seven batters in his first 12 innings of action, Tonkin has walked only two in the 17 innings that followed. His strikeout rate has also improved from 2015's mark of 19 percent to 28 percent.
