The Rays have acquired reliever Sergio Romo and cash considerations from the Dodgers for cash or a player to be named later, per an announcement from Los Angeles.
After an excellent stint with the Giants from 2008-16, Romo drew offseason interest from the Rays before heading to LA on a one-year, $3MM deal. Staying in the National League West didn’t go well for the 34-year-old Romo, who pitched to a 6.12 ERA (with a less-than-encouraging 5.75 FIP) in 25 innings as a Dodger. He also posted a career-worst walk rate (4.32 per nine) and yielded home runs on 26.9 percent of fly balls – an enormous increase over his 13.9 percent mark from last season. As a result, the Dodgers designated Romo for assignment on Thursday.
Given his woes this year, Romo hardly looks like a cure-all for the Rays, who have been in the market for relief help leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Still, he’s a low-cost pickup who did show some promising signs as a Dodger. Romo struck out 28.7 percent of batters in LA, matching his career mark, logged a 14.8 percent swinging-strike rate that betters his lifetime figure (14.2) and helped offset a low ground-ball rate (35.4 percent) by inducing pop-ups with regularity. At 15.4 percent, Romo’s infield fly rate places him among the majors’ upper echelon when it comes to relievers.
Even with Romo on hand, it stands to reason the Rays will continue to scour the market for relief upgrades over the next week-plus. While the 51-47 club is 1.5 games up on a wild-card spot, Tampa Bay’s success hasn’t come because of its bullpen. Rays relievers entered Saturday 22nd in the majors in ERA (4.37) and 23rd in fWAR (1.4), though the now-departed duo of Danny Farquhar and Jumbo Diaz contributed heavily to those unremarkable numbers before the team jettisoned them in recent weeks. The right-handed Romo hasn’t been any better this year, and he’ll now look to bounce back among a relief corps that includes more stable righty options in Alex Colome, Chase Whitley, Brad Boxberger, Tommy Hunter and Erasmo Ramirez.
Ken Gurnick of MLB.com first reported the trade (on Twitter). Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
he started walking guys + giving up tons of HRs = bad.
Can’t hurt if the Dodgers are paying most his salary
Dodgers getting something for him is a minor victory. At least blanton has been awful this year too
Rays got a Bullpener without having to give up a Top Prospect but doesn’t get a guy who’s available to be Traded get Traded yet but still is a move.
That made senses
That maid scents.
Just imagined a candle named “maid scents”.
man would that candle be something
The Rays tried hard to land him this offseason, and they need help in the bullpen. It makes sense to see if he can give them a few solid months.
Chaz Roe and Sergio Romo?
Watch out AL East, that’s a shut down bullpen right there.
Interesting Twitter link. lol
Lol, nice head’s up. You’re a living saint for pointing it out.
A regrettable error, but at least it was funny. Thanks for pointing it out.
Dang what did I miss
EHAT WAS THE LINK
A GIF from “Arrested Development” – media.tumblr.com/2233967137c37b8e6b4c4a0b1288d49b/…
the curiosity of what that link was is killing me lol
How will this effect them trying to get A.J. Ramos?
probably not at all. Didn’t give up much to get romo
The Freidman pulling from his past wheel rolls the other way.
Romo was a beast for the Giants, amazing player and clubhouse guy, we even had a famous local ice cream company name an ice cream after him..best of luck in TB to Romo, love to get him back and on track again
Did the ice cream taste as if its best days were behind it?
It was probably rocky road
Isn’t his entry music “My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard”???
You know when something is funny, but kinda hurts too? Awww
It was awesome! Mexican chocolate, stuff never gets old..though it may lead to poor outings on the inodoro
Can’t believe we got something for him!
Yeah, a roster spot. That’s all really.
Rays are my pick to win it all now.
Hopefully the Hex is over
We haven’t won a game since he was DFA’d
Romo is pretty good when hitter haven’t seen much of him. I bet he does well in the AL
PTBNL is kershaw and cash considerations ends up being salary relief for the whole team*
Ptbnl or cash is going to Dodgers
A PB&J and a bucket of DoubleBubble.
Huge move by the devil dogs. Lol
“Romo…logged a 14.2 percent swinging-strike rate that betters his lifetime figure (14.2)”
Does this make sense?
Nope. Should’ve said 14.8, which it now does. Thanks.
Hickey is one of the best pitching coaches in MLB and he will bring life back to Romo. He has done a lot more with a lot less in the past 10 years.
Cubs were going down to the giants last year if it wasn’t for romo. His best days are behind him.