Red Sox Bolster Bullpen with Veteran Lefty Signing

Boston adds Danny Coulombe to relief corps ahead of competitive AL East race.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 1:03am

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The Boston Red Sox have signed veteran left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe to a contract, adding depth and experience to their bullpen as they prepare to compete in the tough American League East division. Coulombe, who has 11 years of MLB experience, split the 2025 season between the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers, and is coming off a strong campaign with the Twins where he posted a 1.16 ERA.

Why it matters

The Red Sox are expected to rely heavily on their pitching staff, especially the starting rotation, as they look to fend off the defending AL champion Toronto Blue Jays and the perennial contender New York Yankees in the division. Strengthening the bullpen with an experienced lefty like Coulombe gives manager Alex Cora more options to navigate tight games late.

The details

Coulombe has a 3.35 career ERA in the majors, and is coming off his best season in 2023 when he had a 2.12 ERA in 51.1 innings with the Baltimore Orioles. The Red Sox are hoping he can provide a steady presence in the middle innings to complement their late-inning duo of Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman.

  • Coulombe signed with the Red Sox during 2026 spring training.

The players

Danny Coulombe

A 11-year MLB veteran left-handed reliever who split the 2025 season between the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers.

Alex Cora

The manager of the Boston Red Sox, who will be counting on Coulombe to provide depth and experience to the team's bullpen.

Garrett Whitlock

The Red Sox's set-up man, who forms a strong late-inning duo with closer Aroldis Chapman.

Aroldis Chapman

The Red Sox's closer, who forms a strong late-inning duo with set-up man Garrett Whitlock.

Garrett Crochet

One of the top starters in the Red Sox's rotation, along with Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray.

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What they’re saying

“The key is likely to be the starting pitching. That unit has a chance to be dominant with Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez and Sonny Gray at the top of the rotation.”

— Steve Silverman, Author (clutchpoints.com)

What’s next

The Red Sox will look for Coulombe to provide a steady presence in the middle innings as they prepare to battle the Blue Jays and Yankees for AL East supremacy.

The takeaway

By adding the veteran Coulombe to their bullpen, the Red Sox have further bolstered their pitching staff as they aim to return to the playoffs and compete for a World Series title in 2026.