Twins Lose Danny Coulombe to the Orioles

[Seth Stohs]

Darren Wolfson was first to report it, but Orioles' beat writer is also on Twitter saying that he has heard it too. The Twins have reportedly lost left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to the Baltimore Orioles. More to come. 

Image courtesy of William Parmeter

One thing that the Twins have added to their organization this past offseason is depth, and depth all over the diamond. That included left-handed relief pitching, at least until Monday afternoon. 

As Darren Wolfson first reported, the Twins have lost veteran Danny Coulombe to the Baltimore Orioles. 

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Coulombe had a tremendous spring for the Twins again this year. He struck out 13 batters over ten innings and gave up only an unearned run. However, with lefties Caleb Thielbar and Jovani Moran around, Coulombe was reassigned to minor-league spring training on Sunday. He deserves to be in the big leagues, so in reality having an arm like that at Triple-A provided the organization with depth. 

According to Orioles' beat writer Dan Connolly, Coulombe was able to opt out of his Twins deal if there was "a team willing to give him a 26-man roster spot. And it appears the O's are willing to do so."   

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The O's will have to make a move. It was announced that former Twins farmhand Tyler Wells would be in the Orioles' starting rotation rather than the bullpen. 

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Because of the agreement, when Coulombe and his representatives learned that the Orioles were interested, they were able to opt-out. In other words, the Twins will not receive any compensation in return for Coulombe. 

In addition, it is assumed that right-hander Jeff Hoffman will invoke the opt-out clause in his contract on Tuesday and become a free agent. Hoffman, who signed as a minor-league free agent just a month ago, flashed a strong fastball in his outings, but he was reassigned to minor-league camp last week. 

That potentially means two veteran relievers with a lot of big-league service time lost. However, that doesn't mean that the Twins are in a bad place in terms of depth. Cole Sands is starting the season as the long reliever (pending any deals, of course). Josh Winder and Ronny Henriquez will start the season on the Injured List but could be ready for a bullpen role in the near future. Trevor Megill is at Triple-A as are non-roster options such as Jose De Leon, Randy Dobnak, Austin Schulfer, Aaron Sanchez, Oliver Ortega, Brock Stewart, Patrick Murphy, Dereck Rodriguez, Blayne Enlow, and several of the starting pitchers in Triple-A if needed. As for left-handers, the options would include Sean Nolin and Jordan Brink, as well as a sleeper contributor for 2023 (in my opinion), Kody Funderburk. Brent Headrick could get bullpen looks if needed. 

Two tough losses, but depth is good. And frankly, Jovani Moran needs to get this opportunity. If you are looking for any positives to this transaction, I guess it could be that after the next Gleeman and the Geek episode or two, we won't have to hear the Twins Geek mispronounce his last name anymore. #LittleThings

What are your thoughts on the loss of Danny Coulombe, and potentially Jeff Hoffman too? Leave a COMMENT below. 

 

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[chpettit19]

I'd much rather have Coulombe than Pagan on the major league roster. I really hope Pagan is good and proves the FO right, but I really don't see it and don't understand their obsession with him.

[Dman]

Happy for Danny.  He earned a spot IMO.  I was never a huge fan but the last few years he has pitched well enough to be in the big leagues. Hate to lose another solid lefty arm but glad he found a 26 man spot.  I think the O's will be happy getting him.  I sure hope Pagan works out or the FO is going to get blasted.

As noted system still has lot's of good arms for the bullpen so not the end of the world but he sure would have been a handy depth piece.

[DocBauer]

Look at Pagan and Coulombe at the end of the season and tell me who had the better year. I have a hunch who's going to win this arguement.

[Squirrel]

I think this was an unfortunate loss. I’d rather have Coloumbe over Pagan and Sands, but wish him well

[CRF]

3 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I think this was an unfortunate loss. I’d rather have Coloumbe over Pagan and Sands, but wish him well

Absolutely 100% correct. 

[nicksaviking]

I was more excited about Hoffman than Coulombe, but I guess these moves make sense. Moran and Sands can be optioned when fresh arms are needed, which will likely be often with the early season schedule.

[tarheeltwinsfan]

11 minutes ago, Squirrel said:

I think this was an unfortunate loss. I’d rather have Coloumbe over Pagan and Sands, but wish him well

Exactly this. 

[tarheeltwinsfan]

I think losing Coulombe without anything in return, was the result of 2 bad decisions by the Twins: 1) Keeping Pagan 2) Keeping Sands. I had previously posted my negative feelings about keeping Sands over Coulombe. I had no idea that would result in the Twins losing a major league, left-handed relief pitcher, with nothing in return. How long will Coulombe have to be on the Orioles roster? It should be in his Twins contract. If it is 30 days or less, that was a poorly drafted contract for the Twins. 

[howeda7]

This front office's irrational hubris in keeping Pagan continues to pay off. I get having one bullpen spot designated to be a revolving door, but there's no reason to keep Pagan AND Sands over Columbe.

[DJL44]

44 minutes ago, Dman said:

As noted system still has lot's of good arms for the bullpen so not the end of the world but he sure would have been a handy depth piece.

I'm not seeing a lot of good bullpen arms in the minors. If Cole Sands is actually making this bullpen the depth is very thin.

[Dman]

5 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I'm not seeing a lot of good bullpen arms in the minors. If Cole Sands is actually making this bullpen the depth is very thin.

Not sure if you read the article but Seth posted the following (See below).  It is not like Coulombe was an elite reliever.  He is on the fringe of pretty much any teams 26 man roster.  Hate to lose a lefty as we don't have a ton, but they have guys who can fill that roll.

"That potentially means two veteran relievers with a lot of big-league service time lost. However, that doesn't mean that the Twins are in a bad place in terms of depth. Cole Sands is starting the season as the long reliever (pending any deals, of course). Josh Winder and Ronny Henriquez will start the season on the Injured List but could be ready for a bullpen role in the near future. Trevor Megill is at Triple-A as are non-roster options such as Jose De Leon, Randy Dobnak, Austin Schulfer, Aaron Sanchez, Oliver Ortega, Brock Stewart, Patrick Murphy, Dereck Rodriguez, Blayne Enlow, and several of the starting pitchers in Triple-A if needed. As for left-handers, the options would include Sean Nolin and Jordan Brink, as well as a sleeper contributor for 2023 (in my opinion), Kody Funderburk. Brent Headrick could get bullpen looks if needed."

[Nashvilletwin]

Geez, another head scratcher.  Coulombe, Hoffman, Sands, Pagan is probably the correct order of projected value to the Twins this season.  Guess which two made the team and which two we will lose to other clubs.

[nicksaviking]

18 minutes ago, DJL44 said:

I'm not seeing a lot of good bullpen arms in the minors. If Cole Sands is actually making this bullpen the depth is very thin.

That's what was said about Jax last year.

I'm actually looking forward to seeing what Sands does now that's he's going to be a full time reliever. Most of the best relievers are guys who were given up on as starters.

[GKuehl]

What a bad turn of events — first we learn that we’re keeping Cole Sands in the major league bullpen to have a 4.75 ERA and only pitch mop up innings and now we learn that we just lost a solid major league reliever for nothing. 
 

I’ve been saying for weeks that Coulombe should make the opening day roster. This looks especially bad since Sands has options and could have been called up the instant one of our relievers inevitably gets a hangnail. 

[Nine of twelve]

I will guess (and it's only a guess) that Coulombe would have provided more help this year than Sands. We'll check back on that in 6 months. But I'm sure the front office was looking beyond just this season as Sands is 8 years younger. If there was not room for both on the 40-man choosing Sands over Coulombe could well be the better choice overall.

Edit: Even if there was room on the 40-man it's easy to make the argument that rostering someone younger would be a better use of that space than Coulombe.

[nicksaviking]

3 minutes ago, GKuehl said:

 

I’ve been saying for weeks that Coulombe should make the opening day roster. This looks especially bad since Sands has options and could have been called up the instant one of our relievers inevitably gets a hangnail. 

I think you mean the opposite? Sands made the club because they CAN send him down, and will need to often and early.

What are they going to do a week into the season when they have Hoffman and Coulombe in an overused pen and need to send someone down? Moran can't be the only option. They going to send down Duran and Jax if they need fresh arms? Just cut the super fringy guys, and Coulombe is super fringy. He's a 33-year-old soft tossing, junk throwing lefty who pitched 12 innings for the club last year. I'm failing to see the fasciation other than with which arm he throws with.

[FlyingFinn]

I would also have picked Coulombe over Pagan and Hoffman over Sands. But Coulombe and Sands are in different roles as I don't think Coulombe is eating 4-5 innings like Sands can. As others have said, let's see where Coulumbe and Pagan are at the end of the year. Hopefully Coulombe doesn't injured again and still is better than Pagan.

[GKuehl]

52 minutes ago, nicksaviking said:

I think you mean the opposite? Sands made the club because they CAN send him down, and will need to often and early.

What are they going to do a week into the season when they have Hoffman and Coulombe in an overused pen and need to send someone down? Moran can't be the only option. They going to send down Duran and Jax if they need fresh arms? Just cut the super fringy guys, and Coulombe is super fringy. He's a 33-year-old soft tossing, junk throwing lefty who pitched 12 innings for the club last year. I'm failing to see the fasciation other than with which arm he throws with.

In your hypothetical, they could have used Coulombe for a week or two and then DFA’d him and called up Sands. Or another reliever might get injured and we wouldn’t want Coulombe on the St. Paul-Minneapolis express. 

The “fascination” stems from the fact we just lost a pitcher for nothing who had a 2.92 ERA in 49.1 innings as a Twin. 

[Parfigliano]

I am also in the Coulombe over Pagan camp.

[GKuehl]

With the quality of our rotation, the opportunity for a long reliever to go 2-3 innings is much smaller than it was last year when Bundy and Archer were starting 40% of our games. I don’t see the need for a guy like Sands. 

[tony&rodney]

What is done is done and while I felt Coulombe looked decent, the guys who watch him every day felt that Sands and Pagan were a better idea. I'm happy to see that Coulombe has earned a spot on an Opening Day roster and wish him well.

Perhaps the bullpen looks soft but I am less concerned with Duran, J. Lopez, Thielbar, Moran, Jax, Alcala, and Sands than i am about the bats. Winder and Henriquez could be strong pieces in the bullpen too.

[Dman]

4 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

, as well as a sleeper contributor for 2023 (in my opinion), Kody Funderburk. 

 

 

 

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I like your sleeper pick.  Funderburk has been really good the last two years.  Granted he hasn't been in AAA yet and the K rate is a bit less than ideal, but his overall numbers are not that much different than Varland's and he is a lefty.  I know the fastball might not be as hard but his Homerun suppression has been really good to this point.  Will know more when he gets to AAA but so far he has been an under the radar good performer that could be a really good bullpen arm if he doesn't quite make it as a starter. Given what I have seen so far I like his chances but AAA and MLB are big jumps to make.

[D.C Twins]

Ugh... most of you are spot on but far more diplomatic than me.

Major Blunder by FO.

You have to figure out which relievers are 'on' from year to year and latch onto them. 

 Coulolombe appeared to be pretty locked in this year and certainly had more upside than Sands.

Dobnak is still around for long relief help and not going anywhere. There is no need to cling to Sands. 

Coulombe or Hoffman+ 3mil saved and utilized for trade deadline and/or future signings also probably >>> Pagan. 

Painful decisions... 

[Elite Benchwarmer]

Coulombe career splits aren't great vs RHB.  Last year was better but I don't think the Twins trusted him vs RHB.

[Richie the Rally Goat]

38 minutes ago, GKuehl said:

With the quality of our rotation, the opportunity for a long reliever to go 2-3 innings is much smaller than it was last year when Bundy and Archer were starting 40% of our games. I don’t see the need for a guy like Sands. 

Mahle and Maeda are both coming back from injury, Sonny Gray pitches 120 innings per year on average, and Joe Ryan pitched a personal record 147 innings last year….

I bet the cumulative long man innings exceed Maeda’s and maybe Mahle too

[mikelink45]

This one hurts. I don't like either pagan or Lopez the reliever, in sands has not demonstrated that he has the talent that they seem to project for him. It will be a year in which we will find a lot of different opinions as the season progresses. 

[DocBauer]

1 hour ago, Dman said:

I like your sleeper pick.  Funderburk has been really good the last two years.  Granted he hasn't been in AAA yet and the K rate is a bit less than ideal, but his overall numbers are not that much different than Varland's and he is a lefty.  I know the fastball might not be as hard but his Homerun suppression has been really good to this point.  Will know more when he gets to AAA but so far he has been an under the radar good performer that could be a really good bullpen arm if he doesn't quite make it as a starter. Given what I have seen so far I like his chances but AAA and MLB are big jumps to make.

I also like Funderburk as a future pen option. The converted 1B hasn't set the world on fire, but he's been pretty solid. I could easily see his stuff play up better in shorter stints in the pen for sure.

I see Headrick remaining a starter for now. No reason to make any change at this time, especially after he had a bit of a breakout in 2022. But he might also end up as a quality LH pen arm. (Rozek as a possible future convert as well?)

And I think the Twins have some hope for Bentley to still find greater control, hence his being in the AFL this past offseason, and possibly surprising in the future.

One of my problems with the FO...who I generally like and support...is I think they get "too cute" with some of their roster decisions. Sometimes I think you just go with an arm that has done well for you and figure it out later. 

I'm OK with Sands as the "last man standing", for the moment, as a 40 man middle/long man. He's got decent stuff and is going to begin his transition to the pen now. I think, ideally, that spot would have belonged to a healthy Winder doing what he did last year out of the pen, while still being able to slide back in to the rotation at some point. Again, like last year, and like the Cardinals and Rays are known to do.

And while it's too late and fruitless to yet again debate keeping Pagan as a middle man at this point, he does have a rubber arm and would have opened the season with him in that role. Coulombe is 33yo and is nothing special. His long term future with the club would be in doubt with a plethora of young arms. But he's also thrown his best since he's been a Twin. I would have kept him, even without options, and had a 3rd LH for a short middle man for greater pen versatility. Sands could have begun his pen conversion at St Paul, with Pagan as a 2 inning middle man.

Of course, I wouldn't have kept Pagan to begin with, but then again, dead horse syndrome.  Lol

Really hoping this doesn't come back to bite the Twins because they are suddenly short of LH arms again after all the various moves made. Hopefully, near future, we will see Funderburk and Headrick ready to contribute in some fashion. But neither is ready yet.

[Seth Stohs]

1 hour ago, D.C Twins said:

Ugh... most of you are spot on but far more diplomatic than me.

Major Blunder by FO.

You have to figure out which relievers are 'on' from year to year and latch onto them. 

 Coulolombe appeared to be pretty locked in this year and certainly had more upside than Sands.

Dobnak is still around for long relief help and not going anywhere. There is no need to cling to Sands. 

Coulombe or Hoffman+ 3mil saved and utilized for trade deadline and/or future signings also probably >>> Pagan. 

Painful decisions... 

Coulombe definitely doesn't have more upside than Sands. Sands throws much harder, has much more spin and break... Not saying he'll put up the numbers or even be as effective, or even have the same role... but just based on upside, Sands has more. 

Coulombe is a nice lefty reliever. He had a nice camp. He is a solid contributor. But his spring performance may, or may not mean he's 'locked in this year.' 

Others who put together great spring trainings, like Coulombe's, and made the Twins Opening Day roster.... Aaron Thompson, Matt Maloney, Dusty Hughes. 

I didn't know about Coulombe's opt-out. That definitely changes things, but I don't know that it should affect or alter the front office's thinking. 

Then again, I don't disagree on the comment on Pagan! 

[Seth Stohs]

1 hour ago, mikelink45 said:

This one hurts. I don't like either pagan or Lopez the reliever, in sands has not demonstrated that he has the talent that they seem to project for him. It will be a year in which we will find a lot of different opinions as the season progresses. 

Jorge Lopez?? Compared to Danny Coulombe?