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White Sox 2019 Season Preview: The Revamped Bullpen

By Etheria Modacure

(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)
(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images) /
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SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 5: Reliever Alex Colome #48 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 5, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won the game 5-3. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA – SEPTEMBER 5: Reliever Alex Colome #48 of the Seattle Mariners delivers a pitch during the eighth inning of a game against the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field on September 5, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. The Mariners won the game 5-3. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /

Setup Men, Closer

The Sox made the best addition to their bullpen with two moves as they acquired a closer and setup man this offseason. Trading Omar Narvaez to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Alex Colome could become a very important trade for the Sox from this past offseason.

Colome has been an All-Star closer in the past and could likely help the Sox prevent many blown saves this season. The Sox had 19 blown saves last season. For his career, Colome has just 19 blown saves through six major league seasons. He had a career-high 47 saves in 2017 with the Tampa Bay Rays.

The Sox need a shutdown closer and Colome could fit in this role for the team. While Colome’s acquisition was important for the Sox, so was the signing of Kelvin Herrera. Herrera tormented Sox hitters while a member of the Kansas City Royals bullpen. His signing could help the Sox bullpen become one of the best in the game if he is healthy.

With Colome as the closer and Herrera as a setup man, it could take a lot of pressure off Sox veteran reliever Nate Jones and also Jace Fry. For Jones, he will need to remain healthy throughout this season as he hasn’t appeared in more than 50 games since 2016 when he pitched in 71 games.

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Fry had better results in 2018 in a larger sample size than his 2017 season. But they weren’t great results. In 59 games. Fry had a 4.38 ERA but also recorded 70 strikeouts through 51.1 innings pitched. If Fry can limit the number of runs he allows and maintain an above-average strikeout per nine innings pitched (K/9) ratio, the Sox bullpen will greatly benefit from his production.

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