Colorado Rockies trade rumors: Bullpen trade targets from the AL Central

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DENVER, CO – MAY 10: Pitcher Mike Dunn #38 of the Colorado Rockies throws in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Coors Field on May 10, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

In the second part of our series about possible bullpen options on the trade market that the Colorado Rockies could look at before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

As we have seen, the Rockies bullpen, at least 2 months into the 2018 season, has not shown many signs of being the “super” bullpen that people thought that it would be. That has been because inconsistencies from many of the relievers including Mike Dunn (who was placed on the disabled list on Friday), Jake McGee, Bryan Shaw, and (of late) Wade Davis.

Their bullpen ERA, entering Friday, was 5.12, which is fourth worst in baseball so, obviously, it has a major point of concern for the team. Also, the bullpen already has 12 losses entering their series with the D’Backs. For comparison, they had a total of 19 all last year.

Some are of the belief that the bullpen will, eventually, figure it out and start pitching as they are capable of. However, this two month stretch has shown that the Rockies bullpen is not invincible. That is part of the reason why some people are of the opposing belief that the Rockies should get at least one arm for the bullpen before the trade deadline.

For those who are of that belief, you are at the right place. In case you missed our first article in the series of potential targets for the Rockies in the bullpen, but from the AL East, you can check it out here.

Today, we will check out some targets from the American League Central so with out any further ado, let’s check out some bullpen targets from the division.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 01: Fernando Rodney #56 of the Minnesota Twins celebrates after defeating the Cleveland Indians 7-4 and earning his 12th save on June 1, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Unlike the Rockies’ division, the NL West, the AL Central has four subpar teams. Currently, the Detroit Tigers are on pace for 75 wins…and they are in second place.

With that, we have at least one reliever from each of the four teams under .500 that the Rockies could look at.

Fernando Rodney was the former closer of the D’Backs went to the Twin Cities this year on a one year contract. After a rough month of April (5.87 ERA), he has been excellent since the start of May with an ERA of 0.68.

Overall, he has an ERA of 2.57 and with being a free agent at the end of the season, it shouldn’t take much to acquire him.

Like Rodney, Addison Reed signed with the Twins as a free agent. However, he signed a two-year pact. Thus far this season, he has an ERA of 2.93 with nearly a strikeout per inning and just under 3 walks per nine innings.

In the past three seasons, he averaged a 2.66 ERA (156 ERA+), a 2.87 FIP, 2.0 walks and 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

With his contract, he would obviously provide the Rockies a bullpen arm for next season as well. In addition, he would be a backup option for the closer spot (if anything were to happen to Wade Davis) as he had 19 saves last season and he has 125 career saves.

DETROIT, MI – JUNE 1: Shane Greene #61 of the Detroit Tigers pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Comerica Park on June 1, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. The Tigers defeated the Blue Jays 5-2. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

Shane Greene is the closer of the Detroit Tigers. After a failed venture at starting for the Yankees (and Tigers, at first), they decided to transition him to the bullpen. After struggling with that at first, he was successful in 2017, which was his first full season in the bullpen.

In 2017, he pitched in 71 games and had an ERA of 2.66 with 9 saves. He struck out nearly 10 batters per nine innings but walked 4.5 per nine innings as well (which is a bit high).

He has an ERA of 4.15 in 2018 (which went up from 3.38 before last night). However, he is walking less than 2.5 per nine innings compared to 10.4 strikeouts.

Greene is a free agent after the 2020 season so he would also have some team control after this season.

Kelvin Herrera has been excellent this season for the Royals. He is their closer and he has been, virtually, the only bright spot.

He has an ERA of 0.76 this year with a FIP of 1.97. Additionally, he has 13 saves and in 23 2/3 innings he has walked exactly zero batters. Zero. He is averaging just under 8 strikeouts per nine innings.

In the past six seasons, he has averaged 69 appearances a season with a 2.81 ERA.

The two-time All Star also won a World Series with the Royals in 2015 and was excellent in the playoffs in general. In 22 games, he had an ERA of 1.22 and he has struck out nearly 12 per nine innings in postseason play.

It should also be noted that he was teammates with current Rockies closer Wade Davis and his bullpen coach was current Rockies pitching coach Steve Foster was the team’s bullpen coach through 2012 and was a special assistant with the team until he came to the Rockies.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JUNE 05: Nate Jones #65 of the Chicago White Sox delivers a pitch against the Minnesota Twins during the eighth inning of game one of a doubleheader on June 5, 2018 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. All uniformed players and coaches are wearing number 42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. The original day was rained out. The Twins defeated the White Sox 4-2. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

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Nate Jones was a reliever that we mentioned as being as a part of a hypothetical trade to the Rockies, along with Jose Abreu that Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports and MLB Network came up with (we discussed analyzed the trade in this article last week).

His ERA has ballooned to 4.30 since then (since on June 5, he went 2/3 of an inning but allowed 4 earned runs).

The problem in his career is injuries as he has really had only three full seasons. However, when healthy, he is very good.

In 2012, he pitched in 65 games and had an ERA of 2.39.

In 2013, he pitched in 70 games and had an ERA of 4.15, but his ERA+ was 101. His FIP says that he was much better than that, though, as it was 2.64.

In 2016, in 71 games with an ERA of 2.29.

He missed much of 2017 with shoulder surgery, which is a big deal with his contract. It changes many of the options as all become team options for much less money. They go through 2021 and if you want to check out the details on them, we discussed them in the article below.

Next: Bullpen options in the AL East

Check back here tomorrow when we will have the third installment of our series when we will look at some more bullpen targets.

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In the second part of our series about possible bullpen options on the trade market that the Colorado Rockies could look at before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

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