Colome secured his third save by getting two outs in the ninth inning in Thursday's 12-8 victory over the Red Sox. He did not allow any hits or walks.

EDGE Analysis

The Rays continue to bide time in the late innings until Brad Boxberger (abdomen) makes his return, which still appears to be at least three weeks away. In the interim, Colome has been effective when called upon to close things out, with Thursday's save marking his third in three opportunities. All three have come from Apr. 17 onward, a stretch during which the hard-throwing 27-year-old has pitched 3.1 innings of no-hit ball, with just one walk and four strikeouts.

Colome worked the final 1.2 innings of Sunday's win over the White Sox, giving up no runs and walking one while striking out two, to pick up his first save of the season.

EDGE Analysis

It's the second time in four appearances that Colome has pitched more than one inning, a good indication that while he's nominally the Rays' closer while Brad Boxberger is sidelined, he won't be used exclusively in the ninth inning. Colome now has a 1.59 ERA and 6:1 K:BB through 5.2 innings.

Colome (1-1) surrendered two hits and an earned run in Friday's 1-0 loss to the White Sox. He struck out two.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old right-hander gave up singles to veterans Jimmy Rollins and Melky Cabrera in the ninth inning, which was all the White Sox needed on a night where Chris Sale dominated the Rays lineup. The run marked the first given up by Colome in four innings of work this season, and he figures to continue enjoying a prominent role in the late innings until closer Brad Boxberger (abdomen) returns from injury.

Colome pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Tuesday's 5-1 victory over the Indians.

EDGE Analysis

The 27-year-old right-hander made his first appearance since Apr. 5, and has now yielded three hits and a walk over three innings. He's yet to give up a run, but has not had a save opportunity as the presumptive closer while Brad Boxberger (abdomen) remains sidelined.

Colome (1-0) surrendered three hits, a walk and a strikeout over two innings in Tuesday's 3-2 victory over the Blue Jays.

EDGE Analysis

The Rays' defacto closer while Brad Boxberger (abdomen) remains sidelined, Colome secured the victory after an application of the new slide rule resulted in Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion both being called out. It was Colome's first appearance of the new season, and he looked sharp while getting 23 of his 34 pitches into the strike zone. The hard-throwing 27-year-old figures to get plenty of opportunities in the late innings over the next several weeks.

Colome surrendered no hits but walked a batter over 1.1 innings in Friday's 5-1 spring victory over the Red Sox.

EDGE Analysis

Considered one of the leading contenders for the closer's role in the season's early going in the wake of Brad Boxberger's abdominal injury, Colome notched his third consecutive scoreless appearance of the spring while lowering his ERA to 2.08 during the exhibition slate. The 27-year-old right-hander, already slated for a key role in the Rays bullpen after a 5-1, 2.17 post-All-Star-break resume in 2015, could be a solid source of saves over the first several weeks of the season in Boxberger's stead.

Colome could be in line for more save opportunities with the news that Brad Boxberger (abdominal) will be out at least eight weeks.

EDGE Analysis

While manager Kevin Cash made a point of mentioning the Rays will likely stick to a closer by committee approach, it only makes sense that Colome will get the first crack at managing the role. While the 27-year-old put up a disappointing 3.94 ERA last season, much of the damage came during his time in the starting rotation. After finding his way into the bullpen near the middle of July, Colome was a lockdown pitcher, only giving up 11 through 37.1 innings.

Colome is likely to take over the eighth inning following the Jake McGee trade, according to Mark Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

Colome was stellar as a reliever last year, pitching a 44-to-7 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 40.2 innings while never allowing a home run. With a career as a starter seemingly in the rear-view mirror, the 27-year-old should be free to unleash mid-90s heat late in the game. However, the Rays have always been creative in their pitcher usage, so there's a good chance it wouldn't be a traditional set-up role, as time could be split with Xavier Cedeno, the bullpen's new top lefty..

Colome (7-5) surrendered a hit and struck out two in two-thirds of an inning in Tuesday's 4-2 victory over the Marlins.

EDGE Analysis

Colome technically also blew his fifth save of the season after his eighth-inning wild pitch moved Christian Yelich to second, and the single he subsequently yielded to Martin Prado plated him to tie the score at 2-2. The 26-year-old did record back-to-back whiffs to close out the inning, and then was bailed out by Asdrubal Cabrera's two-run blast in the bottom half of the frame. Colome has provided generally solid relief work for the Rays since moving to the bullpen in early July, lowering his ERA from 4.79 to the current figure of 3.98 in the process. He has been particularly stingy with the long ball, with the last homer he gave up having come in a starting role on June 16 versus the Nationals.

Colome is unlikely to pitch more multi-inning stints after Thursday's two-inning appearance, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

The bigger significance to this might be that Colome could be next in line to close if Brad Boxberger goes down. Jake McGee (knee) probably isn't coming back until the final week of the season, if at all, Kevin Jepsen was traded, and Steve Geltz has a 5.25 ERA since the start of July. If the Rays are keeping Colome as a single-inning set-up man, they're probably high on him as a late-inning reliever.