7:31pm: The Orioles announced that they’ve acquired Coulombe from the Twins in exchange for cash.
2:45pm: The Orioles are acquiring left-hander Danny Coulombe from the Twins, per Darren Wolfson of SKOR North Radio and Dan Connolly of The Athletic. Coulombe was with the Twins on a minor league deal but can opt out if given a roster spot from another club, which the Orioles are willing to do. Baltimore’s 40-man roster is currently full and they will have to make a corresponding move to accommodate Coulombe whenever this move is made official.
Coulombe, 33, has 194 MLB games under his belt, dating back to the 2014 season. He has a 3.92 ERA in that time, along with a 22.1% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 52.5% ground ball rate. Like most lefties, Coulombe is more effective with the platoon advantage. Left-handed hitters have batted .236/.302/.335 against him while righties have hit .246/.333/.431. The southpaw is having a nice showing here in spring, throwing nine innings without allowing an earned run, striking out 13 against four walks.
It was recently reported that the O’s optioned DL Hall and plan to stretch him out as a starter in the minors. That leaves the club with Cionel Pérez, Keegan Akin and Nick Vespi as their options on the 40-man roster for lefty relief. Akin and Vespi both have options, while Pérez and Coulombe do not. Vespi has already been optioned to the minors and it’s possible Akin now joins him with this move, though the club could also simply keep three lefties on the Opening Day roster.
birdsfan415
good reliever, solid pickup
HBan22
Good get for the Orioles. This guy has been sneakily decent for the past couple years, and had a great spring with a strong strikeout percentage.
Samuel
The O’s coaches are much better working with pitchers than the Twins….especially since Wes Johnson went back to college in the middle of the 2022 season.
Add that Brandon Hyde handles a pitching staff far better than Rocco Baldelli…which quite probably has something to do with the 2 FO’s pitching philosophies and approaches – See Lopez, Jorge.
pohle
sensible comment
WolvesSufferer
Lopez has been bad basically his whole career. It’s far more likely he had a good two months by chance, the orioles correctly sold high, and he’s turned back into the lemon he always was. I think you’re giving Baltimore way too much credit, especially since their pitching staff has a ton of holes still.
Hammerin' Hank
Exactly.
Samuel
WolvesSufferer;
Right.
LOL
And that’s why last year the O’s had a great bullpen made up of a bunch of castoffs they brought in.
Did you kids ever actually play baseball? On a field, not Rotisserie League.
tonyhoag
As a twins fan who’s watched him the last couple seasons this is a good get. Sorry to see him go but if it means getting on a roster I’m happy to see it happen. Good get.
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
This makes one ponderiffercate that O’Hearn, Cordero, and Lester won’t be with the O’s opening day, unless they DFA someone on the 40 man. Assuming Means to the 60 day IL will making room for Danny “Just One More Question” Coulombe.
BeansforJesus
I believe ohearn signed a split contract because the orioles wanted to keep him. They can keep him in AAA if needed while maintaining the 40 man flexibility and he keeps getting a mlb minimum paycheck.
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
Kale for Jesus would be wrong…
BeansforJesus
You’re right. I confused him with another player. Ohearn signed for 1.4 earlier this off-season.
BStrowman
I see u forgot Polliti in your analysis, great wise blowhard!
BeansforJesus
What? I literally said “I believe…”. Great wise blow hard?? Eat my dong.
BeansforJesus
I now realize @bstrowman that your comment might not have been directed at me (even though the notification said it was). You don’t need to eat my dong.
MacGromit
Dong retraction. The world is much more civil than I thought. Bravo.
BStrowman
@beans lol. Wasn’t for you.
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
Pretty sure there are no take backs allowed here…
BeansforJesus
Someone has to eat this dong. Sorry, @assumefact. You’re the last one standing.
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
Oh my! I was referring to the three remaining left handed hitters trying to earn the last position player spot and low and behold none of the three I mentioned made the team so won’t womp womp buster womp womp
GreenMonsta
Bad spring/acquiring another RP/needing 40-Man roster spot.
Does this mean goodbye Politi?
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
Means is going to 60 day IL
Marlins_Fan
Orioles will be contenders next year at the latest. Next year in 2024, it could easily be an Orioles vs Marlins World Series.
paule
Only things wrong with your comment are that neither will be in the World Series and the pitiful Marlins will have another exciting battle with the Nationals to finish 4th in the NL East.
AssumesFactNotInEvidence
Phhhhhhhhhhffffffffffffttttttttttttt pauleeeeeeeeeeeeee
Marlins are above 0.500 this season, book it!
paule
Assumes Etc. I doubt it, But even if true they would still be 4th in the NL East..
phantomofdb
Twins have to be the worst run franchise in the league. Just gave away a guy who has been relatively productive and are still holding onto a prime spot for Emilio Pagan.
Devil's advocate
True, hanging onto Pagan is questionable. Some moves are made with “upside/ceiling” in mind over a player’s floor or base level production though. No one can question that Pagan has much more upside than Danny, which is why they team continues to roll the dice with Emilio.
WolvesSufferer
Pagan sucks but one is right handed and one is left handed. They have a ton of left handed relief options at this point. This is a weird thing to claim as proof for the “worst run franchise in the league.’ They aren’t even the worst run franchise in their own division.
phantomofdb
“They have a ton of left handed relief options at this point.”
Lol what??? They have Thielbar and Moran, everyone else on their roster is a righty, including all 8 potential starters.
Way to prove you know nothing about the team. They’re a mess.
Clepto_
No. Its the Angels, and by a mile.
toomanyblacksinbaseball
Highly coveted player to be named later and 504th draft pick in the next draft.
In Seager/Hader We Trust > the 70 MM DH Ohtani
Who in the right mind gives him up for cash? It better be over 10 million.
Gwynning
Can’t be more than $500k!
Baldkid
Does this mean, the Twins get back some or at least one of the guys they gave up for Jorge Lopez??! (I mean, one can dream, right?) 😉
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
Orioles are getting ready to compete. The lineup and bullpen is stacked
toomanyblacksinbaseball
What about the dong? Has the dong been eaten?
Dumpster Divin Theo
Ay Coloumbe!