Baltimore Orioles: Is Zach Britton the Best Closer in Baseball?
By Josh Schwam
Alex Colome
Colome came out of the blue in 2016, yet has proven to be an elite closer. Even on a sub-.500 team like the Tampa Bay Rays, Colome has managed to be elite. Colome has recorded the save for over half of the Tampa Bay’s 44 wins.
Before becoming the full-time closer for the Rays, Colome was a regular reliever. He pitched under 40 innings his first two years in the majors, but in 2015 he pitched 109.2 innings with a 3.94 ERA. Sensing 2016 was going to be a rough year, Ray manager Kevin Cash handed the closer role to the now 27-year-old.
Compared to Britton, Colome is less experienced, and has fewer saves this year. Yes, Colome plays for a much worse team, and yes, he has accounted for a dramatic amount of their wins. That said, Britton has pitched much more, as he has accounted for 37 of Baltimore’s 61 wins.
Colome is becoming elite in terms of closers, but in no way is he at Britton’s level yet. Keep in mind that Colome is tied for third in the majors with 25 saves this year, and is very much so on the rise.
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