Washington Nationals: Three Possible Trade Targets
3. RHP Alex Colome—Chicago White Sox
The third and final trade target on our list is current Chicago White Sox closer Alex Colome. Despite giving up a walk-off home run to Washington yesterday, the 30-year-old and former All-Star has a decent chance to make it to Cleveland for his second All-Star appearance this summer. So far in 2019 Colome has recorded a 1.52 E.R.A. in 24 appearances and recorded 12 saves. He has struck out 22 batters in 23.1 innings and walked just five.
Since his debut in 2013, Colome has never recorded an E.R.A. above 3.95 in any season. He made the All-Star team in 2016 with the Tampa Bay Rays and followed that up with a league-leading 47 saves in 2017. In 2018 Colome was dealt from Tampa to the Seattle Mariners and proved to be an outstanding acquisition. In the setup role for the Marines in 2018 Colome recorded a 2.53 E.R.A. in 46.1 innings and struck out 49 batters.
Due to his past success, Colome does come with a decent sized contract. He currently is on a one-year, $7 million dollar deal, and is arbitration eligible and will figure to make even more in 2020. The good news is Washington would get atleast1.5 years of control out of Colome, so they would not just be giving up a prospect for a half-year rental player.
In the past few years, Washington has always been linked to Colome, and it has been reported the Nationals have had serious interest in the right-hander. He clearly would not fill the closer role for the Nationals with Sean Doolittle manning down that role, but he could be a perfect eighth inning guy for the Nats. Parring Colome with Rainey and Suero would give Washington three solid arms to make it through the seventh and eighth inning.
dark. Next. Washington Nationals: Nats Catching Fire for First Time in 2019
The White Sox are a team that despite their solid start figure to be out of contention by the middle of July. Colome has been an above average reliever for a long time, so he would figure to cost Washington a mid-level prospect in return. He wouldn’t be as big of a splash as Giles, but Alex Colome could be another more under-the-radar outstanding move for the Washington Nationals this season.