February 7, 2025
The Washington Nationals agreed on a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring training with free-agent left-hander
Colin Poche on Friday. Poche heads to the National League East after spending the last three years with the Tampa Bay Rays, where he went 17-7 with a 3.27 ERA (4.16 FIP), 1.13 WHIP, 10 saves, 158 strikeouts and 59 walks in 156 2/3 innings over 174 relief appearances. The 31-year-old southpaw appeared in 43 games out of the bullpen last year and sported a 3.86 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, two saves, 33 strikeouts and 13 walks in 37 1/3 frames. The veteran reliever also had 65 holds over the last three seasons and certainly has enough experience to win an Opening Day spot in Washington's bullpen, especially when considering the lack of proven options they have. Poche could be a sleeper for holds in deeper fantasy formats in D.C.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: MASN Sports - Bobby Blanco
November 23, 2024
According to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, the Tampa Bay Rays have non-tendered relief pitchers
Tyler Alexander and
Colin Poche. Alexander operated as both a starter and a reliever last summer and held a 5.10 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP across 107 2/3 innings of work. Under the hood, he carried a poor 4.68 xERA and 32.1% ground ball rate. Poche operated as a high-leverage option out of the bullpen over the past few seasons in Tampa Bay. Last summer, he took a slight step back as he posted a 3.68 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP compared to his stellar 2.23 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP he held in 2023. Fantasy managers should expect Poche to find a new club and continue to operate as a high-leverage option and could eventually mix in for save opportunities depending on his new situation. Alexander will likely find a new home in another bullpen but could see occasional starts.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Marc Topkin
September 16, 2024
The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated left-hander
Colin Poche (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Monday and optioned right-hander
Cole Sulser to Triple-A Durham in a corresponding move. Inflammation in Poche's left shoulder has kept him out in September to this point, but he will skip a minor-league rehab assignment and return to Tampa's big-league bullpen to close out the 2024 season. The 30-year-old southpaw will return to a 1-2 record, 3.67 ERA (5.15 FIP), a 1.14 WHIP, two saves, 31 strikeouts and 13 walks in his 34 1/3 relief innings in 2024 over 39 appearances. The Rays are currently rolling with a closer-by-committee approach involving
Edwin Uceta,
Manuel Rodriguez and
Richard Lovelady late in the year, and Poche could enter that mix now that he's healthy. Fantasy managers desperate for saves this late in the game could take a flier on Poche in deep leagues.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Tampa Bay Times - Marc Topkin
June 8, 2024
The Tampa Bay Rays reinstated left-hander
Colin Poche (back) from the 15-day injured list on Saturday and placed left-hander
Richard Lovelady (forearm) on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm flexor strain in a corresponding move. Mid-back tightness put Poche on the injured list way back on April 26, but the 30-year-old veteran southpaw is now ready to return to Tampa's bullpen. In three minor-league rehab appearances for Triple-A Durham in the last week, Poche allowed two runs on three hits while walking one and striking out one in 2 2/3 frames. The former 14th-round selection by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016 out of Dallas Baptist had a career-best 2.23 ERA and a save last year but allowed seven earned runs with three walks and six K's in 9 1/3 innings for the Rays this year before going on the shelf.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Rays Communications
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