Relief pitcher Alex Colome throws to the Orioles during a game on April 26, 2018, in Baltimore. Tampa Bay traded Colome to the Mariners on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Relief pitcher Alex Colome throws to the Orioles during a game on April 26, 2018, in Baltimore. Tampa Bay traded Colome to the Mariners on Friday. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

M’s acquire RHP Colome, OF Span from Rays

Seattle sends minor-league pitchers Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero to Tampa Bay.

SEATTLE — Oh, this certainly sent a message. Loud and clear.

Alex Colome, an electric, All-Star caliber right-handed reliever, will now wear a Seattle Mariners uniform. So will veteran outfielder Denard Span after a Friday trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, the Mariners’ familiar trade partner.

“I think it’s an awesome message,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said prior to Friday’s home game against the Minnesota Twins. “That everything we’ve dealt with the past 8-10 days here … that we’re all in on this season.

“That even though we had the setback of losing Robbie (Cano) with the injury and then the suspension, it’s not going to derail us. Our eyes are set on our goal and that’s getting to the playoffs and I think this helps us.”

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

In exchange, the Mariners traded away minor league starting pitchers Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero. Seattle also gets $4.75 million in cash considerations.

But this was a clear win-now message, with the Mariners entering Friday with a record of 29-20 and in second place in the American League West that contains the defending-champion Houston Astros.

Colome is the big addition.

No pitcher in the American League has saved more games than Colome since 2016. His 95 saves in that span trails only the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Kenley Jansen (98).

Colome saved and AL-best 47 games for the Rays last season and was an All-Star the season before with 37 saves, compiling a 2.63 ERA in that span. For his career, the 29-year-old is 17-18 with a 3.21 ERA.

Not that this means the Mariners are changing the role of Edwin Diaz, who entered Friday tied with the Rockies’ Wade Davis for the most saves in the major leagues (17).

Colome, who throws a fastball that touches 96 mph, will slide into a setup role, which means the Mariners will be less reliant on right-hander Juan Nicasio, their biggest offseason pitching acquisition, and right-hander Nick Vincent, who tied for the major-league lead in holds last season.

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said he’d talked with the Rays about Colome for about the past two seasons, though that died down when the Mariners signed Nicasio in December.

But when expected setup reliever David Phelps tore his ulnar collateral ligament in spring training, meaning season-ending Tommy John surgery, “it became more of an item of interest,” Dipoto said.

“The dynamic this brings to our bullpen with the combination of Edwin Diaz, Alex Colome, Juan Nicasio, Ryan Cook, Nick Vincent, James Pazos — really interesting dynamic,” Dipoto said. “It should be a lot of fun to watch.”

The Rays acquired the 34-year-old Span from the San Francisco Giants this offseason. He was batting .238 with a .364 on-base percentage in 43 games. He had been playing left field with the Rays but has predominately played center for his career.

Span hit .272 with a .329 on-base percentage last year with San Francisco. For his 11-year career, Span has a triple-slash line of .282/.348/.396.

Span will start regularly in left field, Servais said, with Guillermo Heredia maintaining his spot in center. This leaves Ben Gamel as a platoon option and gives Servais the ability to interchange Span, Gamel and Heredia between left field and center.

“We’re acquiring Denard Span to play regularly for us, contribute in our lineup and do what he does,” Servais said. “He’s really good at getting on base and grinding out at-bats and doing those types of things. He’s not a home-run hitter, we get all that. But he does a lot of good things to help you win ball games.

“He’s been in the playoffs a couple of times, he’s a veteran presence we can plug in the outfield. Big acquisitions for us. I’m excited. I think we’re playing really good baseball right now and we’re adding to that with two veteran guys who can help us right away.”

The trade did cost the Mariners two young starting pitchers.

Moore, who turns 24 on June 2, made his major-league debut last year, going 1-5 with a 5.34 ERA in 11 games. He has been playing at Double-A this season, going 3-1 with a 3.04 ERA in nine starts. He was voted as the team’s minor league pitcher of the year in 2016.

Romero, 20, is 3-3 with a 2.45 ERA in nine starts for Single-A Clinton. He’s struck out 54 in 44 innings. Romero was a 15th round draft pick in 2017.

“I don’t want to sell Tommy Romero short … but it’s not easy to trade Andrew Moore and I told him as much when I spoke to him earlier today,” Dipoto said. “He works hard. He’s always prepared. He shot to the big leagues pretty quickly and we couldn’t be happier with his productivity and time with the Mariners. In this moment and this time, we felt like for the now and really the future of the organization, this was the impact move we could make. We took the shot while it was open.”

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Sports

Stanwood's mixed unified 400-meter relay team -- (from left to right) senior Ciara Beam, sophomore Camrie Ingram, junior Xander Krause and junior Levi Stiers -- poses with their medals and state championship trophy at the WIAA Track & Field Championships in Tacoma, Washington on May 31, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Michael Randall / Stanwood track & field)
Stanwood’s Inclusive Track Field state champions blaze trail

The program takes huge step forward for intellectually disabled athletes and their peers.

Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas, an Archbishop Murphy High School graduate, participates in OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Rod Mar / Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks offensive tackle Abraham Lucas talks about new season

The healthy Archbishop Murphy graduate talks about a number of topics at OTAs.

Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe (6) participates in a workout on day five of OTAs at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Edwin Hooper / Seattle Seahawks)
As Milroe learns, there’s no QB competition for Seahawks

There are obvious similarities between the Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback situation… Continue reading

Everett AquaSox infielder Colt Emerson gets a high-five from teammate Lazaro Montes after scoring during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lazaro Montes hits 13th homer, Frogs win

Suisbel and Montes go deep for second straight night.

Everett Community College head coach Chet Hovde watches as the women's team practices on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 in Everett. Hovde, who died in 2024, will be inducted into the EvCC Hall of Fame along with others on Thursday. (Andy Bronson / The Herald)
EvCC to induct 5 athletes, 1 team into HOF Thursday

A record-setting rebounder, a dual-threat pitcher, a cross country… Continue reading

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for May 25-31

The Athlete of the Week nominees for May 25-31. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners hits a single during the first inning against the Washington Nationals at T-Mobile Park on Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Seattle. (Stephen Brashear / Getty Images / Tribune News Services)
Cal Raleigh is blasting his way toward a historic season

When the owners of the Seattle Mariners gathered last week for a… Continue reading

Everett AquaSox pitcher Nick Payero throws a pitch during the game against the Tri-City Dust Devils on Tuesday, May 6, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Montes, Suisbel homer as Frogs win

Lazaro Montes and Luis Suisbel each hit fifth-inning home… Continue reading

Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams (5) puts up a shot over Dallas Wings forward Teaira McCowan (15) at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle on June 3, 2025. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Storm)
Storm brew fourth-quarter run to beat Wings

SEATTLE – Gabby Williams scored 18 points, and the Seattle Storm went… Continue reading

Simon VanderWel of King's throws the shot put during the May 29-31, 2025 Class 1A state track and field meet at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima.  (Photo courtesy of Donna Beard)
King’s wins boys and girls state high school track titles

King’s High School brought home two state titles on Saturday,… Continue reading

Kimberly Beard of King's prepares to release a throw during the Washington Hammer State Championships at The Evergreen State College in Olympia on Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Donna Beard)
King’s Kimberly Beard wins state hammer throw title

Kimberly Beard of King’s High School dominated the girls division… Continue reading

Lake Stevens junior Keira Isabelle Tupua winds up to throw the discus at the WIAA Track & Field State Championships in Tacoma, Washington on May 30, 2025. (Joe Pohoryles / The Herald)
Keira Isabelle Tupua overcomes family turmoil at track & field state

The Lake Stevens junior places top four in two events while missing her biggest supporter.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.