While Bryce Elder has been the pleasant surprise of the Braves’ rotation, Michael Tonkin has been unexpectedly reliable in the bullpen.
Tonkin, 33, last pitched for the Twins in 2017 before this season. In between MLB stints, he pitched in Japan, the Pacific Coast League, the Atlantic League, the Mexican League, the Dominican Winter League and the International League.
His persistence paid off in 2023. He’s not only back in the majors, but he’s become an important part of a first-place team. Tonkin has a 3.21 ERA in 16 appearances (33-2/3 innings).
“I knew this was the kind of role we were looking at him for, and he’s done a really good job,” manager Brian Snitker said.
Tonkin has provided needed length in the bullpen. Take Thursday for example, when Tonkin covered a career-high 3-1/3 scoreless innings and earned his first save during a victory over the Rockies. Or the Braves’ win over the Reds on April 11 when he logged three scoreless frames, helping the bullpen after Kyle Wright’s early exit.
“I’m happy for him,” Snitker said. “That’s a movie waiting to happen with his journey and everything he’s been through. You always root for a guy like that who perseveres and works. He’s been recycled probably more than I have. I’m happy for him, and he’s done a really nice job in a lot of different roles for us.”
The Braves’ bullpen has had up-and-down results, but it has been solid this month. The bullpen has produced a 2.16 ERA in 50 innings.
Notes:
-The Braves opted to move first baseman Matt Olson, who has slumped recently but still provided power, from second to fifth in the order Thursday. He remained in that spot Friday against Colorado.
“I have every confidence that he’s going to get to where he wants to go because he’s going to allow himself to do it,” Snitker said. “Not playing and all that isn’t even an option for him. He’s stand up and he works and wants to get back out there.”
Olson is batting .232 this season. He started well but hit .215 in May, improving to a marginally better .226 through his first 12 starts of June. He’s tied for fourth in the MLB with 19 home runs and 11th with 46 RBIs. He leads the league in strikeouts with 92, four ahead of any other hitter, but he’s atoned for it with walks and homers.
“As long as he keeps knocking runs in, we can live with the other,” Snitker said. “I feel he’s going to turn that thing around, he’s going to get to where he wants to be.”
Notably, when Olson’s hitting, the Braves are winning. In 43 wins, he’s hitting .267 with 16 home runs and 38 RBIs. In 26 losses, he’s hitting .165 with three homers and eight RBIs.
While Olson has struggled, outfielder Michael Harris is heating up as the No. 9 hitter, batting .327 in June. Snitker plans to keep him at the bottom of the order.
“You know what, I just kind of like him there,” Snitker said. “It’s just like another leadoff hitter. There may be a time where (we) get to the point where you want to move him up, maybe, but I think, right now, I’m just going to let it keep riding like this.”
-The Braves’ rotation has struggled, and the pitching staff has a collective 4.53 ERA in June – only 11 teams have higher such marks. Yet the Braves were an MLB-best 10-3 this month entering Friday. That’s largely because of their offense, which leads MLB in OPS (.872), average (.303), homers (23, tied) and runs (81) this month.
-Outfielder Kevin Pillar, who went 2-for-4 on Wednesday, has hit safely in 18 of 23 starts this season. Consider Pillar the latest journeyman to find success in his role for the Braves – the franchise has done a nice job maximizing role players since it emerged from a rebuild in 2018.
-June is a lovely month in Atlanta. The Braves are a combined 31-9 in June last year and this year, including a 14-game win streak to start June 2022 and a seven-game win streak this month.
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