Amid a series with the Braves, the Mets have parted ways with several familiar faces of Atlanta in a flurry of roster moves.
First, New York designated Julio Teheran after a start against his former team in which he struggled. He only got through 2.2 innings while nearly throwing 70 pitches to the tune of four earned runs by way of six hits and two walks.
Teheran and the Braves’ rival agreed to a deal last week of one year, $2.5 million, but it was non-guaranteed, so the Mets are only on the hook for a fraction of that price.
Struggling against this Braves lineup shouldn’t warrant a demotion, especially for a club like New York that needs all the help it can. Now, the Mets will have a week to trade the former Atlanta star or try to pass him through waivers.
The second move was trading Michael Tonkin to the Twins after the Mets tried to designate the former Braves reliever for assignment last week. The 34-year-old returns to Minnesota, which is where he was drafted in 2008. It’s a full-circle moment for Tonkin.
He had stops in Arizona, Milwaukee, Atlanta, and New York since originally leaving the Twins, as well as stints in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, the Mexican League and the Independent Atlantic League.
Tonkin spent the 2023 campaign with the Braves, though, working to a 4.28 ERA in 80 innings of relief. Both Teheran and Tonkin are beloved in Braves Country, even though one was in Atlanta much longer than the other.
It was unsettling to see both, especially Teheran, in a Mets uniform. Hopefully, both catch on elsewhere.
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