MINNEAPOLIS -- The Twins are set to clear another 40-man roster spot, as reliever Michael Tonkin's contract will be sold to the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball league.
The move isn't official yet, but Tonkin is set to sign a two-year deal worth $2.1 million, according a report from the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Tonkin, who was designated for assignment in May but returned to the roster as a September callup, wasn't eligible for arbitration until after next season, so it guarantees him more money than he would've made in the Majors.