Fansided

10 MLB moves that need to happen before the offseason ends

By Joshua Sadlock

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 18: Jake Arrieta #49 of the Chicago Cubs stands on the mound in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 18, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 18: Jake Arrieta #49 of the Chicago Cubs stands on the mound in the seventh inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field on October 18, 2017 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 23: Alex Colome #37 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rays won 9-6. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD – SEPTEMBER 23: Alex Colome #37 of the Tampa Bay Rays pitches during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 23, 2017 in Baltimore, Maryland. The Rays won 9-6. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

4. Cubs trade for Alex Colome

The writing should be on the wall for the Tampa Bay Rays. With four sub-.500 finishes in a row and a flawed lineup, it’s time to go into rebuilding mode while Boston and New York slug it out for AL East supremacy. Trading franchise icon Evan Longoria should be just the start of a complete overhaul. Starter Chris Archer and closer Alex Colome are the two trade chips that would bring back massive hauls for the Rays.

Tampa Bay will be smart about their rebuild and should avoid pairing up Archer and Colome in a potential blockbuster trade. They will get more back in return by making two separate deals. There is also no need to rush a trade of Archer, who is signed through 2021. If a rebuild is on, however, there’s no reason to keep a closer like Colome around. His value isn’t going to increase much by pitching for a bad team, and it vanish completely if he gets hurt.

Colome has been a full-time reliever for two years, and has racked up impressive numbers since taking over as the Rays closer last year. He has saved 84 games and has a 2.63 ERA in 123.1 innings with 129 strikeouts. Colome was a bit erratic in the first half last year, but posted better numbers after the break. Seeing his strikeout rate plummet from 11.3 to 7.8 per nine is definitely a major red flag. Swings and misses on his cutter were way down in 2017, but Colome still managed to keep hard contact down to a degree.

With one remaining star closer on the market in Greg Holland and two teams that need one — the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals — the Rays are still in a fine position to deal Colome. Theo Epstein has been reluctant to hand out a long-term deal for a closer since taking over in Chicago, so trading for Colome seems the most logical path. The Cubs have what the Rays need with plenty of talented, young position players.

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