The Yankees have announced that Phil Bickford has rejoined the team with a new Major League contract and has been added to the active roster. To make room, right-hander Michael Tonkin was designated for assignment.
Bickford initially signed with the Yankees on a minor league deal in April, and after being promoted to the big league roster in late June, he struggled with a 14.40 ERA over five innings in five appearances. He was designated for assignment and, after clearing waivers in July, chose free agency instead of accepting an assignment to Triple-A. Now, he returns to the Yankees after spending nearly eight weeks as a free agent.
A veteran of five Major League seasons, Bickford’s best year was in 2021 when he posted a 2.81 ERA over 51 1/3 relief innings with the Brewers and Dodgers. However, since then, he has a 5.20 ERA across 133 1/3 innings with the Dodgers, Mets, and Yankees, with a 25.3% strikeout rate and a 9.3% walk rate.
While Bickford’s recent MLB performance hasn’t been impressive, he did pitch well at the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate this season, leading the team to offer him a guaranteed contract. Bickford is out of minor league options, so he would need to be designated for assignment if the Yankees decide to send him back to Triple-A.
Swapping Tonkin for Bickford might seem surprising given that Tonkin has a 3.38 ERA, a 24.6% strikeout rate, and a 9.1% walk rate in 56 relief innings this season. However, Tonkin has struggled recently, posting a 9.39 ERA over his last 7 2/3 innings and giving up multiple runs in three of his last five appearances, including two runs in 1 2/3 innings in the Yankees’ 9-2 loss to the Rockies. This move could be an effort to bring a fresher arm into the bullpen.
Tonkin, like Bickford, is out of minor league options, and his 2024 season has been marked by frequent roster moves. He signed a $1 million split contract with the Mets in the offseason, was DFA’d in April, then claimed by the Twins before returning to the Mets after another DFA. The Yankees claimed him after yet another DFA, giving him some stability until now. If Tonkin clears waivers, he can choose free agency instead of accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of his guaranteed salary.
