Danny Coulombe Is an Interesting Use of the Front Office's Minimal Resources

[Nick Nelson]

Three million dollars for a veteran lefty reliever? In this micro-economy?

Image courtesy of Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

Within the next day or two, the Twins are expected to make official their signing of left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe, reuniting with the veteran free agent on a one-year deal reportedly worth $3 million. In isolation, it is a match that makes plenty of sense. Minnesota had a glaring absence of established left-handers in the bullpen mix, and Coulombe has been excellent over the past two seasons. He's also plenty familiar to the organization, having spent three seasons here from 2020-22. 

But when you take a step back and look at the full scope of Minnesota's needs, and their (lack of) available resources, investing this amount into a 35-year-old relief pitcher coming off an injury — for a bullpen unit that already looked like the team's biggest strength — is an interesting decision, to say the least. 

Barring an upcoming move that reduces the payroll level, it seems as though the Twins front office just spent most if not all of the funds at its disposal. Dan Hayes of The Athletic wrote in a column last week that the "Twins are believed to have some financial leeway, perhaps $5 million in the 2025 payroll." That is a heavily couched statement, and even if true in the most generous reading, that would mean they're now down to about $2 million in remaining funds. 

To reiterate, left-handed relief was a clear area of need for the Twins. I'm glad they addressed it a meaningful way and made the team better. Just maybe not so much if it comes at the expense of meaningfully addressing another area of need where the urgency was arguably higher.

 

Coulombe should be a quality addition. In 2023-24 with the Orioles, he posted a 2.56 ERA and 2.83 FIP over 81 innings — tremendous production that makes it a little surprising he was available on a one-year, $3 million deal. The reason for this, aside from the generally challenging market for free agent relievers, is that Coulombe is 35 years old and coming off surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. The Orioles were dubious enough about his outlook to decline a $4 million option, which is why he was a free agent to begin with.

That's a good amount of added risk at an already volatile position. His upside is clearly higher than Minnesota's in-house options like Kody Funderburk and non-roster invite Anthony Misiewicz, but when you account for age, injury and the general impact of the role ... is Coulombe's baseline expectation as a difference-maker that much higher? 

I'm not sure. At least not when you account for the opportunities that this signing potentially curtails. The Twins are lacking a clear starter at first base, and have little experienced depth on their bench. There's been an evident imbalance of pitchers and hitters on the roster, yet they continually to only add arms.

Two million dollars, if indeed that's what remains available to spend, isn't going to get you much of anything on these fronts. I mean $5 million wasn't going to get much but you've got a better chance at getting lucky. Carlos Santana cost $5 million. Randal Grichuk, a veteran righty outfield bat, signed for $5 million on the same day Coulombe's agreement was announced.

 

If healthy and pitching up to his standard, Coulombe will be a formidable addition to a high-powered bullpen that has a chance to shorten games in similar fashion to Cleveland's last year. In the end maybe as a whole that is more valuable than whatever bat the Twins might have landed for a few million bucks, and that's the motivation at play. 

But if this front office had only one move to make, I don't know that I would've ranked a middle reliever higher than a first baseman or an outfielder. Either the team disagrees, or another twist is waiting in the wings.

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[Cory Engelhardt]

If you told me over under 1.5 more moves (trades or signings) between now and opening day involving mlb players, I easily take the over. I may take the over on 2.5 also. This move is more of a few to come. 

[IndianaTwin]

I think we've seen multiple times over the years that media speculation on how much money is available isn't overly precise. "Some financial leeway, perhaps $5 million" seems above average in its imprecision.

I think Coulombe is a good signing at $3M, and I'm not too concerned about that hampering other moves. If the right additional person comes along and the cost is perceived as a value at $4M, they will find a way. 

[LambchoP]

Coulombe was a good move. Cheap contract that filled a major hole in our pen. If he's healthy, he'll be a major asset to our relief core. If we move one of Paddack or Vasquez next, we should have plenty of cash left to sign a RH OF bat. The question is whether or not any will be left in free agency by then, or will we have to go the trade route?

[mickster]

36 minutes ago, LambchoP said:

Coulombe was a good move. Cheap contract that filled a major hole in our pen. If he's healthy, he'll be a major asset to our relief core. If we move one of Paddack or Vasquez next, we should have plenty of cash left to sign a RH OF bat. The question is whether or not any will be left in free agency by then, or will we have to go the trade route?

THe money saved with moving Vasquez is great, but the gain on the field isn't worth it until someone in St. Paul proves worthy.  Paddack I am 50/50 on - but the $$$ saved is the positive side.   I would like a big splash - but that means Lee, Larnach, SWR, Miranda, Keachall are moved.    I am good with any/all - but we need controllable assets and a RH BAT

[Whitey333]

Pretty typical Twins move involving pitchers.  Acquire a pitcher with injuries.  He had bone chips from his elbow removed last year.  Why not try?

[farmerguychris]

While we had a full pen, we didn't have anyone proven from the lefties.  Can't fault them.  Still hoping to move Vazquez and use those resources for a right handed 1B/CF backup (do those exist?)

 

[nicksaviking]

I don't know, if Grichuk is the only example, I don't think that I'd have much to quibble about. Yeah, I can see a Grichuk fit, but I don't see any other position players or starters I'd have any interest in at 5M.

[rdehring]

Interesting move, yes.  I was one of those who was disappointed when they let him go a couple years ago.

First move will be finding a 40-man spot for him.  Will they release someone?  And if so, who?  Or will it be a minor trade?  A trade so they can option Castellanos to St. Paul sure would help.

The other tough decision will come in seven weeks when they are finalizing their 26-man roster.  That's going to be interesting.  Although he may have earned a spot, got a feeling Varland may find himself in St. Paul until something happens to one of the arms in the Twins pen.  I just hope they make the decision that Varland is a reliever and put him St. Paul's pen rather than starting rotation.

[Whitey333]

I see where MLB.com is now ranking the Twins bullpen best in the majors.  Interesting but in my view not close.  The same thing was said about it last year.  They did go on to lead the major leagues with the worst record of letting inherited runners score.  And it wasn't close.  A bullpen is supposed to put out fires not pour gas on them and make it worse.  Certainly not one projected to be the best in 2024.  I learned long ago to not believe the hype.  It's way overblown

 

[mikelink45]

Good reflection - I agree with all you write.  I keep thinking about the challenge all of you have to keep TD current and interesting.  Without actual movement by the team we are stuck with speculation.  

But who would have thought that signing Coulombe would be the big talking point of the off season with four essays about him already on TD. 

So let's hope that something more happens.  I was sad to see Grichuk gone - he seemed to answer a lot of our needs. 

[mickster]

6 minutes ago, rdehring said:

Interesting move, yes.  I was one of those who was disappointed when they let him go a couple years ago.

First move will be finding a 40-man spot for him.  Will they release someone?  And if so, who?  Or will it be a minor trade?  A trade so they can option Castellanos to St. Paul sure would help.

The other tough decision will come in seven weeks when they are finalizing their 26-man roster.  That's going to be interesting.  Although he may have earned a spot, got a feeling Varland may find himself in St. Paul until something happens to one of the arms in the Twins pen.  I just hope they make the decision that Varland is a reliever and put him St. Paul's pen rather than starting rotation.

Maybe Varland still wants to start and they trade him for a PTBNL so he gets his wish

[tony&rodney]

There is a continual call for a RH OF/1B bat. Few people actually name a player and most of the suggested players are just Margot redux. Falvey hasn't added any position players most likely because he likes what he has assembled on the current roster. We have to accept this reality.

The addition of Coulombe fills the LH relief pitcher slot apparently. Does it almost automatically mean that Tonkin is let go? Injuries happen and it is looking like that is the path to a uniform for any player with an option. Varland, Topa, Funderburk, and Alcala or Sands are ticketed for AAA unless injuries pop up. One has to wonder if that strategy works as opposed to rostering the best eight relievers. I guess we shall see.

[Blyleven2011]

The twins are in need of filing holes at a few positions but are only adding pitchers up to this point ...

It's called building a pipeline of pitchers , haha ...

3 million on coulombe is a gamble worth taking , Gallo at 11 million was not ...

[Original_JB]

For all the conundrums the usage of opposite handed "openers" caused Rocco last few years, they may be hoping to have Danny "start" a few games against certain opponents...

[rdehring]

12 minutes ago, mickster said:

Maybe Varland still wants to start and they trade him for a PTBNL so he gets his wish

That sure is an option, one I hadn't thought of.  The problem I have is that I believe Varland can be a great late inning reliever who just might help the Twins truly have that best bullpen.

[mickster]

Just now, rdehring said:

That sure is an option.  The problem I have is that I believe Varland can be a great late inning reliever who just might help the Twins truly have that best bullpen.

I don't disagree.   Varland has to accept this as well, or we have a disgruntled player.    I would like to keep him and go with something I proposed the other day.  Duran for Casas and slot Jax as the closer.

[PatPfund]

I like the Coulombe deal. This was our one definite need, and they signed a pro on a solid deal. Yeah, he had elbow surgery, but it was for chips not a UCL, and he returned to throw 4 scoreless outings (including one against the Twins).

This is so much better than cheaping out and signing once-good players for half-pricing, then ending up with a player much worse than the younger talent you already have. (Gallo, Margot, Jackson, etc.) Signing a $5 million 1B when you have Miranda (the clear starter) just blocks a young player with more upside, and is one we HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT this year. Signing a fading OF to add a RH bat just blocks Martin who brings badly needed speed and batting discipline, and is another player we NEED TO KNOW ABOUT. (We'd know a lot more already if Margot hadn't been here.)

Spending cheaply on washed up players compared to paying for ones who are real assets is a false economy, because you end up making the team worse by retaining them (like Margot), or just flush the money away (money that could have been bunched for real impact) when you are forced to release them (like Jackson last year).

Short of a trade, this is a fine roster to start the year. Get some answers (Julien bounce-back, Miranda/Correa/Buxton/Lewis/Lee healthy? Emmanuel Rodriguez moving up? Rotation OK?), and then make any adjustments in-season. The Pohlads may not own the team by May, and the new owners may have a bigger budget.

[D.C Twins]

I think the issue is that they could not make impactful moves in other areas of need for 5 million but they could in the area of LH RP

[D.C Twins]

Is it possible that with all the bullpen depth that the Twins intend to keep Varland stretched out as a SP option this year?

[DJL44]

30 minutes ago, mickster said:

Maybe Varland still wants to start and they trade him for a PTBNL so he gets his wish

Louie Varland isn't in any position to be making demands on his playing time. He's lucky he's still on the roster.

[DJL44]

I think they're overinvested in relief pitching and underinvested in the MLB bench but a trade could fix that pretty quickly.

[Stew]

remember we have possibly 3 maybe 4 players that could be traded. A total of 28 million in savings if done right. It may cost us prospects to get teams to pick up there full salaries. But trades could still happen.

[Doctor Gast]

The big fuss over budget restrictions the past 2 yrs. is an inconvenience, but it's not the problem. There is a thing called trade. We can't let budget restrictions keep us from filling our holes. Crying we can't do anything because of the budget restrictions is a bunch of baloney. Stop waiting around for discount FAs, from the get-go, find our holes & fill them with reasonable trades. We have players that can be & should (not counting Vazquez & Castro) be traded go out there & make those happen. 

We have an opportunity to have a 1Bman that can really mash, Miranda. Finally having time at 1B will keep him healthy & productive. IMO we have our 1Bman, we don't need to look for someone to replace him. Maybe support but not replace. I have a lot of doubts about Julien playing anywhere & hitting but not Miranda.

[IndianaTwin]

2 hours ago, Whitey333 said:

Pretty typical Twins move involving pitchers.  Acquire a pitcher with injuries.  He had bone chips from his elbow removed last year.  Why not try?

And returned to throw five outings (counting playoffs) with no runs allowed. Not overly concerned with carryover. 

[IndianaTwin]

3 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

I think we've seen multiple times over the years that media speculation on how much money is available isn't overly precise. "Some financial leeway, perhaps $5 million" seems above average in its imprecision.

I think Coulombe is a good signing at $3M, and I'm not too concerned about that hampering other moves. If the right additional person comes along and the cost is perceived as a value at $4M, they will find a way. 

Apologies for quoting myself, but assuming that Bader signed for more than $2 million, I rest my case in reference to the first paragraph. 

[DocBauer]

I was of the opinion that after the first major wave of FA hit, there was going to be a collection of bargains sitting out there looking for work come February 1st. 

Since the Twins didn't have $ to work with, they were going to need a bargain. I thought Poche...maybe a 2yr deal because he's younger...Chafin or Coulombe should be available for around $3M. That's proved true. Coulombe is a smart bargain, and a good choice with limited resources.

What's so frustrating is I had hope Grichuk would be available for around $4M 1yr as a perfect RHOF bat that you could still play against RHP. Laureano was my 2nd choice. To see them gone for only a $1M than I had hoped for is not only disappointing, it ticks me off.

 

 

[tony&rodney]

11 hours ago, IndianaTwin said:

I think we've seen multiple times over the years that media speculation on how much money is available isn't overly precise.

In the 2023-2024 offseason the Twins indicated that the payroll budget would retreat to former levels after a one year bump. The outcry was phenomenal and unending. It was also a little bit expected by those who knew about the one time payment and the dying RSN.

At the close of the 2024 season the Twins indicated that the payroll budget would not be cut further and the details were left as nebulous as one could possible state nothing. Twins Daily, Aaron Gleeman and others went ballistic about the *****Pohlads. 

A statement was issued that the Twins were for sale and that numerous parties had already been involved as interested parties to an unknown degree to that point. The Ishbias were noted. 

The sale process was reported as moving along quite smoothly or words to that effect with an April or May date expected for finalization although the end point was left open. This obviously meant that the 2025 player payroll would be entirely the responsibility of a new owner. 

All during this offseason, every single article until about two weeks ago contained a reference to "owner imposed payroll restrictions", a mantra repeated on national press and roundly circulated as fact when there was never any statements or indications of a said policy. The $130 miilion 26 person Opening Day payroll was gospel or we were led to believe that line.

Now the Twins are approaching $148 million (Fangraphs) for a 26 person payroll and crickets from Twins Daily and Gleeman among others on what looks to be a rather substantial operating change. Apologies  for all of the character assassinations? Hmmm. Waiting.

I cannot wait for a new ownership group because my choice of the best ownership group lost out in 1984. Not a fan of old Carl (RIP), but his sons and grandkids did what they could if one understands the lack of baseball acumen in the family. 

For now I'm hoping for a few big trades (Falvey needs to make at least an effort to keep his job) and the completion of the sale of the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club.

[mike8791]

11 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

In the 2023-2024 offseason the Twins indicated that the payroll budget would retreat to former levels after a one year bump. The outcry was phenomenal and unending. It was also a little bit expected by those who knew about the one time payment and the dying RSN.

At the close of the 2024 season the Twins indicated that the payroll budget would not be cut further and the details were left as nebulous as one could possible state nothing. Twins Daily, Aaron Gleeman and others went ballistic about the *****Pohlads. 

A statement was issued that the Twins were for sale and that numerous parties had already been involved as interested parties to an unknown degree to that point. The Ishbias were noted. 

The sale process was reported as moving along quite smoothly or words to that effect with an April or May date expected for finalization although the end point was left open. This obviously meant that the 2025 player payroll would be entirely the responsibility of a new owner. 

All during this offseason, every single article until about two weeks ago contained a reference to "owner imposed payroll restrictions", a mantra repeated on national press and roundly circulated as fact when there was never any statements or indications of a said policy. The $130 miilion 26 person Opening Day payroll was gospel or we were led to believe that line.

Now the Twins are approaching $148 million (Fangraphs) for a 26 person payroll and crickets from Twins Daily and Gleeman among others on what looks to be a rather substantial operating change. Apologies  for all of the character assassinations? Hmmm. Waiting.

I cannot wait for a new ownership group because my choice of the best ownership group lost out in 1984. Not a fan of old Carl (RIP), but his sons and grandkids did what they could if one understands the lack of baseball acumen in the family. 

For now I'm hoping for a few big trades (Falvey needs to make at least an effort to keep his job) and the completion of the sale of the Minnesota Twins Baseball Club.

Absolutely right on!  This jump in payroll can only be attributed to an impending sale.  No way the Pohlads would have agreed to adding extra payroll w/o some pretty solid belief that a sale was in the near future.  I, for one, am excited for the first time in years on future of the franchise.   My optimism will only increase once new managment clears house, starting w/Falvey.

[NYCTK]

13 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

Apologies  for all of the character assassinations?

No one owes the welfare queen Pohalds anything.