The White Sox announced this afternoon that the veteran reliever Alex Colome was not asked for a waiver after being assigned to the assignment earlier in the week. He was sent straight to Triple-A Charlotte, though he would have had the right to decline that assignment and elect minor league free agency.
Colomé’s second stint with the White Sox proved brief. He signed a minor league contract in April and was shortlisted for the major leagues in the first week of May. He got out of the barn four times, giving up four times (twice earned) in three innings. Colomé went for triples and only received two hits before being hit by the DFA.
That glimpse marked the 11th consecutive season in which Colomé was in top form. The right-hander threw 47 frames for the Rockies last season, generating the worst ERA of his career with a modest hit rate of 14.9%. Prior to last season, Colomé had consistently pushed past mid-range offensive numbers to continue to take the lead at a quality clip, thanks in large part to the power of strong grounding numbers.
The 34-year-old has signed a minor league contract with the National team over the winter. He underwent Spring Training with Washington and was released after being told he would not be breaking camp. He scored eight innings for Charlotte after signing with Chicago before being called up to the squad. He made three runs with seven strikes and four free passes. He will now decide whether to return to Charlotte or explore other (possibly minor league) opportunities in free agency.
