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.”

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 sophomore outside hitter Harper Neyens hits the ball during a District 1 3A quarterfinals match against Monroe in Stanwood, Wash., on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. The Spartans won 3-1. (Taras McCurdie / The Herald)
Spartans volleyball tames Bearcats

Stanwood’s 54 kills help top Monroe for third time and advance to semis.

Prep roundup for Tuesday, Nov. 12

Arlington and GP volleyball both one win away from state

Jackson wins district swimming and diving championship.

Glacier Peak and Jackson each send eight competitors to state.

Steph Chambers / Getty Images / Tribune News Services
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ Justin Danforth (17) shoots against Seattle Kraken goaltender Joey Daccord (35) during the first period at Climate Pledge Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024.
Kraken score 5 unanswered to dump Blue Jackets

Seattle rebounds from rough first period.

Vote for The Herald’s Prep Athlete of the Week for Nov. 3-9

The Athlete of the Week nominees for Nov. 3-9. Voting closes at… Continue reading

Tips Week in Review: Everett wins two, loses one

The Silvertips fall to Tri-City but rebound against Calgary, Red Deer.

WSU jumps three spots to No. 18 in second round of CFP rankings

Cougars odds of making the college football playoffs remain slim.

Seahawks offensive lineman Abe Lucas, an Archbishop Murphy High School graduate, prepares to block against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium on Nov. 30, 2023. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks).
Abraham Lucas could return to Seahawks lineup Sunday

The Archbishop Murphy graduate has been recovering from a knee injury.

Tyrel Dodson (0), who was waived by the Seahawks on Monday, lines up against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. (Photo courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks)
Seahawks waive starting linebacker Tyrel Dodson

Seattle’s leading tackler was let go to get other players in the lineup.

Arlington senior running back Caleb Reed stiff arms a North Creek player during a district winner-to-state, loser-out Round of 32 game at John C. Larson Stadium in Arlington, Wash., on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. The Eagles won 56-35. (Taras McCurdie / The Herald)
Arlington football plows through North Creek, 56-35

Caleb Reed’s four rushing touchdowns help Eagles advance to state.

Lake Stevens’ Jayshon Limar puts his arms in the air in celebration after scoring a touchdown during the 4A district game against Tahoma on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Prep football roundup for Friday, Nov. 8

Five local football teams advance to state playoffs.

Cascade's Jacob Hopkins (top step) poses with coaches, teammates, family and friends after winning his third straight state title in the boys ambulatory race at Sun Willows Golf Course on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Steve Bertrand)
Cascade’s Hopkins wins third prep state cross country title.

Arlington High School girls take home fourth-place team trophy

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.