Colin Michael Poche (Poh-shay)...Graduated from Edward S. Marcus High School (Flower Mound, Texas)...Attended the University of Arkansas and Dallas Baptist University...Married to his wife, Jessica...Has a daughter, Mia Grace and a golden retriever, Zeus...Inducted into the Dallas Baptist University Athletics Circle of Honor in 2023.
2024
Recorded a team-high 20 holds as a member of the Rays bullpen...Went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA (37.1IP, 16ER) and two saves in 43 appearances...Had two stints on the Injured list: April 26 (retro April 24)-June 8 (mid-back tightness) and Aug. 31-Sept. 16 (left shoulder inflammation)...Pitched scoreless relief in 12 straight games from June 8-July 12, matching a career-high...He allowed just three hits across 11.2 innings during that time...Did not allow a hit in five straight appearances from July 12-27...In 23 appearances from June 8-Aug. 8, he recorded a 0.86 ERA (2 ER/21.0 IP), .116 (8-for-69) opponent average and a 0.71 WHIP...2024 Pitch Mix: Four-Seam (68.1%), Slider (39.1%).
2023
Set career highs in appearances (66), wins (12), ERA (2.23), innings (60.2) and HR/9.0 IP (0.59)…The 66 appearances led the Rays...His 2.23 ERA ranked eighth in the American League (min. 50.0IP)...After making his first career Opening Day roster, he was the only reliever to remain on the Rays active roster for the duration of the season...His 12 wins led all MLB relievers, outpacing BAL Mike Baumann (10)…Marked the second-most victories by a reliever in Rays history, trailing Ryan Yarbrough (14) in 2018...Became the sixth pitcher in Rays history to appear in 65+ games in consecutive seasons, joining Roberto Hernández (1998-2000), Dan Wheeler (2008-09), Joel Peralta (2011-14), Jake McGee (2012-14) and Fernando Rodney (2012-13)...Utilized his slider 35.0 percent of the time and held opponents to a .127 (10-for-79) mark on the pitch…Opponents hit .234 (32-for-137) on his fastball, an offering he used 65.0 percent of the time...Of his 66 appearances, 64 were 1.0 inning or fewer (1.2 IP on Aug. 6 at DET & 1.1 IP on Sept. 17 at BAL)...Allowed 13-of-26 (50%) of his inherited runners to score, tied for the fifth-highest percentage in the AL (min. 25 inherited runners)...From Aug. 6–end of season, pitched to a 1.64 ERA (22.0IP, 4ER) across 23 appearances, holding opponents to a .173 (13-for-75) average…This stretch included a career-high 12 consecutive scoreless appearances from Aug. 30–Sept. 23...Postseason: Worked 1.0 inning in Game 2 of the ALWC vs. the Rangers in his first postseason action since 2019, allowing two runs on three hits while fanning two batters.
2022
Recalled on April 22 and remained with the Rays for the rest of the season…his 65 apps were second on the club behind Jason Adam (67)...Suffered a right oblique strain in the season-ending series in Boston and placed on the 15-day IL in advance of the last regular season game...Yielded 11 HR, tied for fifth among ML relievers and one shy of the co-leaders…were the most by a Rays reliever since Emilio Pagán (12) in 2019...Allowed 2 HR in his final 24 apps spanning 20.2 IP after nine HR in his first 41 apps and 38 IP...Three of his 11 HR allowed either tied the game or gave the opponent a lead…all three of these came in a span of seven apps from July 26–Aug 10...According to FanGraphs, 49.0 pct. of batted balls against him were fly balls, ninth in the AL (min. 50 IP)…in comparison, 31.8 pct. of batted balls were grounders and 19.1 pct. were line drives...Among pitchers with 0 GDP, his 58.2 IP ranked fourth in the majors behind ATL Kenley Jansen (64 IP), SEA Paul Sewald (64 IP) and MIA Elieser Hernández (62.1 IP)…ranked second in franchise history, trailing Al Reyes (60.2 IP) in 2007...On May 25 vs. MIA, recorded the third save of his career and first since Sep 23, 2019 vs. BOS… entered with a 5-3 lead in the ninth inning and the Rays defense made two errors behind him, leading to an unearned run…facing the bases loaded, got a game-ending strikeout of Jesús Aguilar...On July 26 at BAL, allowed a go-ahead, two-run homer to Ramón Urías in the 8th inning, the first time in his career he allowed one on an 0-2 pitch…replaced with runners on the corners and charged a third run on a sac fly…marked his first loss since Sept. 11, 2019, at TEX and the three runs were his most since July 16, 2019, at NYY (six)...On July 27 at BAL, allowed a game-tying, solo homer to Jorge Mateo with one out in the ninth inning, the second consecutive app he was charged a blown save…recorded the win after the Rays reclaimed the lead in extra innings...On Aug. 10 at MIL, yielded a game-tying homer to Rowdy Tellez in the ninth inning…marked the second time in six apps he allowed a game-tying or go-ahead homer in the ninth inning (or later)...On Oct. 4 at BOS, allowed a grand slam to Xander Bogaerts in the fifth inning…marked the third grand slam allowed in his career, following July 16, 2019, at NYY (Didi Gregorius) and June 12, 2019 vs. OAK (Ramón Laureano)…left the game with a 1-0 count on the next batter (right oblique strain) and placed on the 15-day IL the next day.
2021
Missed the entire season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
2020
Underwent Tommy John surgery on his left elbow on July 29, performed by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas.
2019
Selected from Triple-A Durham on June 8, between games of a doubleheader at BOS, and made his major league debut in the second game…stayed in the majors the rest of the season, making a team-high 51 apps over that span...Led AL lefty relievers with a .181 opp avg. (33- for-182), and ranked 7th overall among AL relievers…min. 50 IP, his 12.54 SO/9 IP ratio ranked 4th among AL lefties behind NYY Aroldis Chapman (13.42), BOS Chris Sale (13.32) and CLE Brad Hand (13.19)...Yielded 9 HR in 51.2 IP, but only 1 HR in his last 23 apps spanning 22 IP…27.3 pct. (9 of 33) of his hits allowed were homers…six of his 9 HR either tied the game (2) or gave the opponent a lead (4), with all six of those in the 7th inning (or later). ® On June 8 at BOS (G2), became the third Ray all-time to enter in relief and take the loss in his major league debut, following Álex Torres on July 18, 2011 vs. NYY and Franklin Núñez on Aug 14, 2004 at TEX…inherited 2-on, 1-out in the 2nd inning and stranded both, then yielded back-to-back singles to start the 3rd and was replaced with 2-on, 2-out, with both runs later scoring on a Michael Chavis double...On June 16 vs. LAA, retired all 6 BF, including 3 SO, for his first career win...On July 26 at TOR, entered with a 3-1 lead and got three flyouts for his first career save...On Aug 29 at HOU, started the 5th inning and allowed 5 BB, most by a Rays reliever since Justin Marks (5) on Sep 9, 2016 at NYY...Went 2-2 with a 6.26 ERA (27.1-IP, 19-ER) with 48 SO in 20 apps (2 starts) for Durham…from the start of May until he was selected to the major league roster, went 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA (18.2-IP, 7-ER) and 33 SO in 13 apps (2 starts) with the Bulls, including 11 scoreless outings.
POSTSEASON: Pitched in all 5 games of the ALDS against the Astros…became the third rookie to appear in 5 games of a Division Series, joining WAS Sammy Solis in 2016 and TOR Aaron Sanchez in 2015…his only run allowed was a Robinson Chirinos homer in Game 4.
2018
Named Minor League Reliever of the Year by the Rays Baseball Operations department…began the season with Double-A Jackson in the D-backs organization, then pitched for Double-A Montgomery and Durham in the Rays system following a May 1 acquisition as a player to be named in the Steven Souza Jr. trade...Between the two organizations, went 6-0 with a 0.82 ERA (66-IP, 6-ER) and 110 SO for a 15.0 SO/9 IP ratio…no minor league pitcher with as many innings recorded a better SO/9 IP ratio…struck out 45.6 pct. of his batters faced. ® Named the Rays Minor League Pitcher of the Month for June, going 1-0 with a 0.57 ERA (15.2- IP, 1-ER) and 28 SO...Made 5 apps in the International League postseason, recording 12 SO in 7 IP, to help the Bulls win a second consecutive Governors’ Cup...Named to the Rays Organizational All-Star Team by MLB.com and Baseball America’s Minor League All-Star Team...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 20 prospect in the Rays system following the season.
