Aaron Bummer (RP, CHW) - Week 17 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: There's a very realistic chance that the Chicago White Sox will find a way to trade their closer Alex Colome by the upcoming deadline, and if that happens, the ninth inning reigns will likely be handed down to thriving 25-year-old southpaw Aaron Bummer. Melancholic last name aside, Bummer holds a 1.80 ERA, 0.89 WHIP, one save, ten holds, and 35 strikeouts while allowing just two home runs in 35.0 IP total for the Sox this season. He has been just as dominant lately too, putting up a 1.64 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over the last 11.0 IP, giving his club further incentive to pull the trigger on a deal for Colome and the rest of us incentive to invest in his future.

Bummer (what kind of nickname can you give a guy named Bummer?) has solid control of the strike zone as evidenced by a 25.9% strikeout rate and 8.2% walk rate, but the main ways in which he has managed to stifle opposing offenses are far more significant. He has held batters to just 24.4% hard contact, 23.3% soft contact, and forced a stagnant 3.50 GB/FB ratio (on 66.7% grounders). His pitching repertoire puts his talent on display (95.4 MPH average fastball, 88.8 MPH cutter), and his success in 2019 seems to indicate that he has found a proper proportion of pitches to deploy from the mound. Even if there is no trade, even if some circumstance pops up that puts Aaron Bummer is the White Sox closer slot, there is a great chance he'll have tremendous success.