The Minnesota Twins have officially announced the waiver claim of right-handed pitcher Michael Tonkin, a move that was previously reported. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Twins have designated right-hander Trevor Richards for assignment. Additionally, the team has selected the contract of righty Caleb Boushley to take Richards’ spot on the active roster, while right-hander Joe Ryan has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open another 40-man spot.
Richards, who was the Twins’ sole acquisition at the trade deadline a month ago, was acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for minor league infielder Jay Harry. During his brief stint with the Twins, Richards had mixed results, posting a 4.15 ERA over 13 innings. While he managed scoreless outings in seven of his 10 appearances, his lack of command proved problematic. Richards walked an alarming 18.6% of the batters he faced and threw seven wild pitches in just 13 innings, leading the Twins to make the decision to move on from him.
Richards has had success in the majors before, both as a starter and a reliever. In 2018-19, he posted a 4.22 ERA over 261 2/3 innings as a starter, and in 2021, he recorded a 3.50 ERA with a 31.1% strikeout rate in 64 1/3 innings as a reliever. However, his struggles with command and his difficulty handling right-handed hitters ultimately outweighed his ability to miss bats and neutralize lefties with his plus changeup.
The Twins had hoped for better results from Richards, particularly since he was their only deadline addition. Instead, they will now turn to Tonkin, who is returning for his second stint with the Twins in 2024. Tonkin was originally drafted by the Twins in the 30th round back in 2008. Meanwhile, Richards will now go through waivers, where he is expected to clear, given that any claiming team would need to take on the remaining $358,000 of his $2.15 million salary.
As for Caleb Boushley, the 30-year-old right-hander is also making his second appearance with the Twins this year. He previously pitched two innings, allowing two runs, but has spent most of the season in Triple-A, where he has a 4.97 ERA over 116 innings. Boushley’s ERA has been inflated by a disastrous nine-run outing against the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate on July 3, and he has struggled in general recently, posting a 6.55 ERA over his last seven starts with the Saints.
Leave a Reply