Yankees' faint hopes dashed after potential playoff rival claims Michael Tonkin

On Tuesday afternoon, the Yankees' slightly-too-soon DFA of Michael Tonkin came to roost.

Sure, cutting ties with Tonkin had grown inevitable. When he arrived, he seemed like a patchwork solution who was unlikely to carve out a bullpen niche, but his role intensified over time. He was a punchline when he was thrown into the fire immediately to protect a one-run lead in extras in Milwaukee (bzzzz, eh, didn't work), but recorded two saves for the Yankees this season, memorably tight-roping through the Phillies lineup to survive in extras just after the trade deadline.

Unfortunately, after deftly evading the chopping block at first blush and somehow becoming essential, Tonkin's effectiveness receded after we stopped worrying about him. His season ERA with the Yankees sits permanently at 3.38, but that had risen due to a 6.98 mark in the second half.

With Ian Hamilton, Scott Effross, Nick Burdi and Clarke Schmidt returning, Tonkin was fated to be thrown to the wolves this September. The Yankees, instead, decided to do it earlier, DFA'ing him on Sunday afternoon in favor of a temporary innings-soaker in Phil Bickford.

He'll now return to one of many familiar territories after racking up 65 innings across three stops this season, as the Minnesota Twins have claimed him for the second time in 2024.

Recent Yankees DFA Michael Tonkin claimed by Minnesota Twins

It never seemed plausible that Tonkin would clear waivers and make it back to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for depth purposes, but now it's official.

Sending Tonkin to the waiver wire was an admittedly "tough" decision for the Yankees, and his role in the roller coaster 2024 campaign will leave him well-remembered and enthusiastically welcomed back to future Old-Timers' Days (if this season ends up being one worth celebrating).

In order for that to happen, though, the Yankees might just need to get past Tonkin on the back end, with the Twins hanging onto the final postseason spot, at the moment.

The right-hander made appearances with the big-league Twins each season from 2013 (his rookie year) to 2017, as well as one two-inning stint earlier this season. If it makes Brian Cashman feel any better, the 6'7" mountain man returning to Minneapolis was probably inevitable someday, regardless of the Yankees' actions this August.