Brewers Could Bolster Bullpen By Claiming Red Sox Castoff

The Milwaukee Brewers should be all over the DFA'd Boston Red Sox hurler.

Apr 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Danny Coulombe (67) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals during the seventh inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Milwaukee Brewers have the fifth-best bullpen ERA in baseball right now, but they could use another veteran arm and there's an intriguing one available right now.

Milwaukee specifically could use a lefty reliever, especially with DL Hall, Rob Zastryzny and Angel Zerpa on the Injured List. There just so happens to be a cheap one out there right now in veteran Danny Coulombe. He signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Red Sox that included incentives. He's out there for the taking now, though, after Boston opted to designate him for assignment on Saturday.

Before Coulombe was designated for assignment, he had a 4.50 ERA in 29 appearances across 22 innings of work. It wasn't his best showing, but he has upside that Milwaukees should bet on.

Coulombe hasn't finished a season with an ERA above 3.67 since 2018. He hasn't finished a season with an ERA above 2.81 since 2021. Last season, he logged a 2.30 ERA in 55 total appearances as a member of the Texas Rangers and the Minnesota Twins. While his 4.50 ERA hasn't been great so far this season, if there is any team out there that could get him back on track, it would be the Brewers.

The Brewers Should Add Danny Coulombe

Jun 12, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Danny Coulombe (67) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

All the Brewers would have to do to get him is simply place a waiver claim on him at this point and hope another club with higher priority doesn't place a claim as well.

Right now, the Brewers have the fifth-best bullpen ERA already, despite the injuries and revolving door out in the bullpen. Imagine if they could add a veteran like Coulombe and get him back to pitching like he did last year? It would make Milwaukee even more lethal. Between now and the trade deadline in August, the Brewers should be looking for arms.

That's the case with every contender. Right now, there's an opportunity to add a hurler with upside without giving up prospect capital or spending heavily. There's really no downside to rolling the dice on Coulombe, especially because his contract is so cheap. If the Brewers were to land him and his struggles continued, Milwaukee could simply DFA him, like Boston did.

Milwaukee is among the top overall contenders in the league. Arguably, they are the Los Angeles Dodgers' biggest threat in the National League. If the Brewers could land a reliever like Coulombe, it would help.