Pointless Mets player reunion doesn’t need to become a trilogy

Have we seen the last of Michael Tonkin? When he was first DFA’d and then traded to the Minnesota Twins, it sure felt like it. Instead, the Mets brought him back when the Twins placed him on waivers after one appearance. Thus is the circle of a relief pitcher’s life.

Tonkin was designated for assignment for the second time by the Mets on Monday in favor of Sean Reid-Foley who has returned from the IL. It’s not such an exciting move for anyone and more of a necessary one to see what, if anything, Reid-Foley can offer. He, too, could meet the same fate.

For Tonkin, he heads back onto the waiver wire where the Mets will look to trade him again or maybe just reassign him to the minors. This latter choice, while fine for what it is, doesn’t need to happen. Eat the money and move on.

The Godfather didn’t need a part three and neither do the Mets with Michael Tonkin

Some might even argue The Godfather Part II doesn’t hold up either. Go back and watch it again. The Michael Corleone scenes are slow and forgettable.

It makes more sense for Tonkin to accept his minor league assignment as choosing free agency would mean forfeiting the remainder of the $1 million owed to him. The Mets are on the hook to pay him whether he’s in the majors or minors. After what we’ve seen from Tonkin, it’s not even worth burying him in the minors off of the 40-man roster with any sort of a “wait and see” approach. He’s a science project that went up in flames early.

Tonkin might be off to a bad start, but he does seem like a player another team could explore adding in waivers just as the Twins did via trade. If so, good for them.

Tonkin did have a credible year (credible not incredible for those speed readers) in 2023 with the Atlanta Braves as a multi-inning reliever. It was a decent signing by the Mets early on in the offseason with the biggest problem for the club being how many other non-optional arms they’d head into the season with. Someone was going to get cut quickly. As it turns out, Tonkin has seen himself all scratched up twice now with a pair of DFA’s before April is even through.

The team still hasn’t fully resolved its issues with the lack of optional players. Brooks Raley’s IL stint allowed them room for another alongside Reid-Foley. The choice was Josh Walker, one of the last pitchers on the 40-man roster we had yet to see this season. If all are healthy upon his return, someone could be looking at a DFA or they’ll move forward without that space on the roster. Surely, Reed Garrett isn’t going to Syracuse anytime soon.