Inside The Dodgers

Former Dodgers Reliever Who Was Traded Away Signs With AL Central Squad

Maren Angus-Coombs|
Jun 8, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Danny Coulombe (54) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Jun 8, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Danny Coulombe (54) throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the seventh inning at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Minnesota Twins have agreed to terms with Danny Coulombe on a one-year, $3 million contract, per the Minnesota Star Tribune.

The signing is pending a physical and if all goes smoothly, the Twins will need to make a corresponding to create room for him on the 40-man roster.

Coulombe, a 12th round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012, was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2015 for cash considerations.

It is a reunion of sorts for Coulombe and the Twins. He previously played in Minnesota from 2020 to 2022 delivering solid performances during that time. Over 49.1 innings, he posted a 2.92 ERA, striking out 22 percent of batters while maintaining a 9.3 percent walk rate.

The left-hander spent the past two seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, recorded a 2.12 ERA in 33 relief appearances last year, with 32 strikeouts and five walks over 29.2 innings.

He missed three months recovering from surgery to remove bone chips from his left elbow but returned to pitch in four games in September and one postseason game, though his velocity had noticeably dropped.

The Orioles declined his $4 million club option earlier this winter.

“Danny’s done a ton for us, been enormously successful the past couple years and we really enjoyed having him,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said in November.

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If not for the surgery, Coulombe might still be with Baltimore.

From 2023 to 2024, Coulombe pitched 81 innings with a 2.56 ERA, significantly improving his strikeout rate to 28.4 percent and lowering his walk rate to 5.4 percent. While with the Orioles, he revamped his pitch mix by adding a cutter, reducing his four-seam usage, and emphasizing his sinker.

This adjustment helped him generate more swings and misses, as well as more ground balls. Although not a traditional power reliever, Coulombe's results in recent years demonstrate his effectiveness.

Coulombe returns as the clear top left-handed reliever for the Twins. With Kody Funderburk and Brent Headrick as the only other lefties on the team’s 40-man roster, he strengthens a bullpen that is considered one of the best in baseball.

The bullpen features closer Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax for the final innings, while Coulombe, Cole Sands, Brock Stewart, and Michael Tonkin work ahead of them. Louie Varland could also transition to the bullpen during spring training.

More news: Former Dodgers All-Star Predicted to Betray LA, Sign With NL West Rival on $5M Deal

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Maren Angus-Coombs
MAREN ANGUS-COOMBS

Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State and has been a sports writer since 2008. Despite growing up in the South, her sports obsession has always been in Los Angeles. She is currently a staff writer at the LA Sports Report Network.

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