Michael Tonkin smiled and used three words to describe his current team.
“This is awesome,” the right-handed reliever told The Post.
Tonkin considers himself fortunate to be part of a Yankees team like this, after his wild April.
He was designated for assignment three times — twice by the Mets and once by the Twins, the Yankees’ opponent Tuesday night — in the span of 17 days.
On April 25, three days after he was let go by the Mets for a second time, the Yankees claimed him.
The 34-year-old has been with them ever since, part of the team with the best record in the American League.
The righty has pitched well for the Yankees, allowing just two earned runs over 15 innings while striking out 11 entering play Tuesday.
“I feel like I’m throwing the ball good, I feel like I’m getting into a groove and able to be comfortable,” said Tonkin, who did not pitch in the Yankees’ 5-1 win over the Twins on Tuesday night at the Stadium. “When you’re on a team that’s really good and the starters go deep every time, it makes your job easier. It’s more fun.”
His first outing didn’t go well, with Tonkin taking the loss in an extra-inning setback to the Brewers on April 26.
The Twins designated him after a similar performance — he appeared in just one game for them — but he didn’t let that fear consume him.
Tonkin was coming off a strong season with the NL East champion Braves, logging a career-high 80 innings in relief while pitching to a 4.28 ERA.
He signed a one-year deal with the Mets, then was looking for a new team by April 5.
“Obviously, it’s frustrating, right? My goal is to be a major league pitcher,” he said. “Last year I threw 80 innings for a team that won 104 games. I felt like I showed I can contribute to a team and be a major leaguer. Then you have a couple of rough outings, and you’re out of there.”
It didn’t work out with the Mets, but Tonkin wound up sticking with the far superior New York team.
“This is the dream to be on a team like this,” he said. “Winning is fun, for sure. And so, to be here is special.”
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