Danny

Coulombe

It seems like really weird timing, as Coulombe pitched two scoreless frames to finish off Boston’s 4-0 shutout of the Mets on Saturday. However, the appearance was his 29th, and he’s about to start collecting bonuses upon No. 30 of the year. The Red Sox might give Tyler Samaniego another look in his place.

Coulombe had been shelved since May 2 due to back spasms. He has made 12 appearances with the Red Sox this season, posting a disappointing 5.63 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a 5/3 K/BB ratio over eight innings of work. He’ll return to a middle relief role for manager Chad Tracy.

Coulombe has not pitched well in 2026 with a 5.63 ERA, but he’s also been limited to just eight innings because of his late signing and also back spasms that have kept him out since the start of May. He’ll likely be a mid-to-late inning option against left-handed hitters starting Sunday.

Coulombe has struggled to a bloated 5.63 ERA across eight innings since signing a one-year deal with the Red Sox back in mid-March to fortify their middle relief situation. The 36-year-old lefty figures to miss at least a couple weeks.

The Red Sox had a sudden opening on their 40-man roster with Romy Gonzalez (shoulder) hitting the 60-day injured list, so they put it to use. Coulombe, 36, registered a terrific 2.30 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 43/18 K/BB ratio over 43 innings between the Twins and Rangers during the 2025 campaign. The question now is whether or not he can get himself into game shape over the next two weeks to be included as part of the team’s Opening Day bullpen.

Cotillo writes that the Red Sox are trying to add a left-hander to their bullpen, and notes that Justin Wilson is also a target of the team, among others. Coulombe struggled and dealt with an injury after being dealt to Texas at the deadline, but he’s been one of the better southpaw relievers over the past few seasons prior to those scuffles.

Coulombe rejoins Texas’ high-leverage mix for Tuesday’s pivotal showdown against the division-rival Astros following a minimum stay on the shelf with shoulder fatigue. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw has been hit hard in his 11 appearances since coming over from the Twins at the trade deadline.

It’s unclear how long the 35-year-old southpaw will be sidelined for, but it’s fair to question if he’ll be able to make it back before the end of the regular season. Coulombe has been knocked around in 11 appearances with the Rangers after coming over from the Twins in a deadline deal, posting a 7.56 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and a 10/5 K/BB ratio across 8 1/3 innings.

The phrase underrated gets thrown around liberally these days, but Coulombe is legitimately one of the more underrated pitchers in baseball. The 35-year-old veteran southpaw has been nearly untouchable this season for Minnesota, recording a microscopic 1.16 ERA and 31/9 K/BB ratio across 31 innings (40 appearances). He fills a significant need for the Rangers as an experienced high-leverage reliever capable of stepping in to handle the occasional save chance, if needed, alongside fellow lefty Robert Garcia.

No word yet on what the Twins will receive in return yet. It appears as though the Twins are having an everything must go sale on Thursday, so interested teams should be sure to check in on what else is available in the final hour and a half before the trade deadline arrives. Coulombe has been terrific this season, posting a 1.16 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and a 31/9 K/BB ratio across 31 innings in his 40 appearances.