4:10pm: The Nats are also in touch with the Blue Jays regarding their relief arms, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Both Ken Giles and Daniel Hudson are said to be of interest to D.C.
11:40am: The Nationals are known to be on the lookout for multiple relievers following their meteoric rise back up the standings, and ESPN’s Buster Olney writes that the team’s preference is to add a left-handed reliever. General manager Mike Rizzo won’t limit himself to only southpaws, though, and to that end, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Nationals are in active pursuit of White Sox righty Alex Colome and Tigers righty Shane Greene.
Washington’s interest in Greene isn’t new; it’s been reported on multiple times in the past and is also a relatively obvious match simply from a common sense standpoint. The Nationals figure to have checked in on virtually every reliever’s asking price by now, and MLB.com’s Jamal Collier recently reported that the Tigers made the sky-high ask of top shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom in initial talks with the Nationals. One can hardly blame the Tigers for aiming high, but that price point indeed seems rather lofty. Still, the fact that Washington is still showing interest suggests that the two sides could come to terms on a deal just yet.
Whether the White Sox were keen on moving Colome earlier this month wasn’t clear, but the South Siders’ poor play of late has dropped them to 10 games under .500. The club is making efforts to move beyond its rebuild and plans to make a push in 2020, so perhaps the preference is to retain Colome. Still, he’ll likely top $10MM in arbitration earnings next season, so it’d also be reasonable for Chicago to cash in if GM Rick Hahn can find a trade partner willing to make a decent offer.
Both Greene and Colome are controlled through the 2020 season, with Greene’s $4MM salary checking in considerably lower than Colome’s $7.325MM rate. As such, even though Greene is having a better season, his salary next year will likely be more affordable.
In 37 innings, Greene has posted a pristine 1.22 ERA with 10.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9, 1.22 HR/9 and a 54.3 percent ground-ball rate. Colome, meanwhile, has a rather pedestrian 7.0 K/9 mark against 2.8 BB/9 and 0.93 HR/9. Both closers have benefited tremendously from unsustainable averages on balls in play (.180 for Greene and .153 for Colome) and strand rates near 83 percent. Greene’s lower salary and superior strikeout and ground-ball rates make him to more appealing of the pair but also mean that he’ll probably come with a higher asking price. And even with some degree of regression likely for both pitchers, each is still a quality arm who’d give the Nats a much-needed upgrade to a setup corps that has been problematic all season long.
For Kieboom, might we interest you in a tearful reunion with Felipe Vasquez?
They have been using Rodney as a setup guy. They need three relievers. They need to do this now before the season slips away.
If they’re really good they just need 2.
Rodzilla! 40+ and counting.
Trevor Rosenthal is available.
Lol, I just spat my coffee through my nose! Well worth the chuckle, tks!
He’s in the Tigers bullpen
well, the Tigers are sellers.
Don’t laugh, Tigers might flip him for a lottery prospect because he fanned 5 of 7 guys recently & is throwing 98!
So is Steve Wilkerson…..converted every one of his save opportunities…..
BAL is moving him to the rotation.
im willing to bet they actually give him some rp reps going forward. yeah he only throws 50, but what better options to they have?
I will take this bet. I’ll give you the over on 2 appearances ROS.
The Tigers are in desperate need of an elite MIF prospects. W Castro didn’t field a routine grounder in the 9th last night that cost Toledo the game. The same day Goodrum botched a routine dp ball that would have ended the inning and led to 5 runs
Yeah it’s crucial to have solid MIF defense in AAA in order to compete at the majors… lol. I do get what you’re saying (I think) just that they need a MIF in general for the future. But ranting about AAA errors is kind of secondary to the big picture lol
Watching Tigers games they do have serious defense issues.
The Tigers lack of strong MIF prospects and positional talent in the minors is the big picture of the trade deadline
What “ifonly…..” is saying is perfectly clear. Bad defense on the MLB team and no help for that coming from the farm.
jeesh,your spot on! felt like jumping outta window watching them some games.tigers MOST DEFINITELY NEED a elite mif maybe 2.
Colome won’t fetch Kieboom though but Luis Garcia would be a fit.
*Greene
Each of closers Shane Greene and Alex Colome make a ton of sense for the Nationals. Both pitchers are 30 and have an additional year of arbitration control beyond this season. Greene is cheaper while Colome has the more consistent MLB track record. Neither will land top SS prospect Carter Kieboom in an even-up trade but might in an expanded package.
The White Sox have a lesser need for Kieboom with Tim Anderson already pegged as their core SS going forward along with recently signed international free agent defensive whiz Yolbert Sanchez hitting well in the DSL as his insurance policy. This could make a potential trade with the Nationals more likely with the White Sox than the Tigers if the latter is hell-bent on acquiring Kieboom.
It also doesn’t hurt the White Sox and Tigers chances that division rivals Atlanta and Philadelphia are also seeking bullpen help as the July 31st trade deadline fast approaches. I’d still like to see the White Sox pursue a deal with the Braves for CF Ender Inciarte and Colome might be a good trade match.
Don’t the White Sox already have enough OF with no bat? Actually Leury Garcia has done a great job this year batting leadoff and playing CF.
Why the infatuation with Inciarte? He might be a good defender but provides no offense.
Yeah, the Sox are near dead last in HRs. They need to find 5 or 4 tool OFs.
Being able to move Inciarte’s salary in the deal makes Colomé’s 2020 salary a lot easier to absorb.
Honestly, the White Sox could include Leury in a deal and give the Braves some extra versatility in Inciarte’s bench spot.
Colomé, Leury, and about $3 million in cash to pay their remaining 2019 salaries for Inciarte, Joey Wentz, and the Braves’ choice of either Mike Foltyniewicz or Kolby Allard, depending on whether or not they want to shes even more payroll.
Ender Inciarte’s floor is a 3-tool CF just based on his three Gold Gloves and plus speed provided his medicals check out. He automatically becomes a 4 or 5 tool player with a return to his 2017 offensive numbers.
I think the White Sox are looking for players such as Inciarte at this point of their rebuild, an MLB player young enough to be a part of their future core who possesses at least 3 more years of team control. They need another left-handed hitter to balance out a future lineup that leans heavily right-handed. The most obvious spot to fill that need short of a catcher is in their outfield, either CF or RF with Luis Robert playing the other along with Eloy Jimenez in LF.
My preference would be the Dodgers Alex Verdugo but Inciarte is a far more readily available player who could come at the much lower cost of Alex Colome headlining a potential trade.
Doesn’t Inciarte have a back problem…?
Remember Joe Crede?
Inciarte is better than Crede ever was in his sleep.
I’ll make that trade.
I loved Joe Crede. He always played hard even when his back was hurt. There need to be more people with Crede’s Kind of heart in this game.
Who cares?! They both had/have chronic back issues!
Agree but not trading for someone with a chronic back issue.
Glove and speed are 2 tools. He doesn’t have the best arm and can’t hit for average or power, so floor is 2-tool which is your average minor leaguer.
The Sox are basically a year away from their rebuild, so they’ll target guys who fit holes in their current roster or vets to bring along their young core. They don’t need a center fielder whose basically a defensive replacement.
Kieboom won’t be traded, but even if he were most peg him as sliding over to 2B or 3B.
Where the White Sox are also covered with Yoan Moncada at 3B and Nick Madrigal at 2B.
You can’t look at it that way when rebuilding. 1st off, you never know which “prospect” will actually realize their potential. More bust than don’t. 2nd, it’s all about acquiring the best assets. Typically minor league SS, C hold the most value because they’re extremely difficult positions to play. The Cubs won because they kept going after SS’s. Baez, Russel, Torres just to name a few. Without Torres, they never get Chapman thus they don’t even make it to the WS, much less win. Baez has turned into a perennial MVP candidate and Russel was an All Star before drastically falling off. The point is, whether a prospect like Kieboom fills a hole or not doesn’t matter. His value could be key in getting the White Sox a big piece of need in the future IF the rebuild is successful. Just stockpile assets every chance you get.
Russell was an all star because fans are stupid. The rest of your post is valid though.
Kieboom is a bit of an ask for Greene, but it sounds like there is a potential match that could be made. Any room for Castellanos in Washington? Greene and Castellanos for Kieboom and a younger prospect.
That would be a hard no from the Nats. Besides the Nats dont need a rental outfield bat, with bad defense.
But a Boyd and Greene package centered around Kieboom would he interesting.
Nats don’t need or want Castellanos.
You don’t package up two non top guys and expect Kieboom. Even if they wanted Castellanos(which they certainly do not) they’d give you another mid range prospect or 2 for him. Neither one of those guys is close to bringing back Kieboom.
From what I observed of Kieboom when he played against the Cards he isn’t a SS.
Greene Boyd and castellanos for keiboom and Jeremy de la Rosa
haha, are you sure your a tigers fan?
What’s wrong with that trade?
I think the nats would actually be getting a steal here. The tigers want at minimum a guy like Kieboom for Boyd alone.
Not to nitpick but while Greene’s ERA is great at 1.22, it isn’t exactly “pristine”. If it was 0.00 then it would be, but not as it is.
Don’t be so persnickety; no one likes that.
Bummer and Colome. Get your LHRP and potential Closer. 2 birds 1 stone.
1 is super cheap and neither is a rental.
Sox should absolutely deal Colome and there should be plenty of interest. Bummer on the other hand, Sox only make a move if its an sizable overpay.
Sox will be improved next year. Rodon back, Kopech back, Robert and Madrigal moved up eventually, Dunning and Hamilton returning as well. To think they all return and/or get promoted and immediately are firing on all cylinders is a bit much. 2020 will be better but not a playoff year IMO. Move Colome and stock up.
Agreed but I think Rodon doesn’t return until June at the earliest.
I would enjoy a deal with Boyd and Greene for Kieboom and other pieces as a Tigers fan. I’m reality, both teams benefit from a trade. I hope the two can work something out 🙂
i cant wait for us to get Deikman and WSH or ATL to get Giles. really praying its the other way around though.
Kieboom looks like a Jed Lowrie (when he was good) type player. Avila holding out for better upside with Boyd/Greene, though it’s an acceptable return with a throw in lottery ticket as a floor.
Argh! Somebody make a major trade already!
Nats could get almost any relief pitcher in baseball in a one-for-one deal for Kieboom. Kieboom is that good and relief pitchers are the most fungible of assets.
For every Mariano Rivera, a relief pitcher who year after year shows up and pitches great, there are a hundred or more whose careers have more ups and downs than a roller coaster.
Besides, depending upon whether Rendon is re-signed or not, Kieboom is gonna be the Nats everyday 2B or 3B for years. You simply do not trade a guy like that for relief pitchers, especially those on the north side of thirty.
But if Rizzo is hell bent on doing so, I’d bet the Reds would empty out their bullpen in a trade for Kieboom. A three-for-one of Iglesius, Amir Garret and Hughes would help the Nats while giving the Reds another rising star to go along with Senzel and Trammel.
Nats won’t give up Carter Kieboom as they need him in case Rendon does not sign. Kieboom will likely take over third base if Rendon leaves. I hope not, but I think that’s the way it’ll go.
Rizzo will make another deal for two relievers.