Rangers trade for Twins LHP Danny Coulombe

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The starting staff wasn’t the only part of the roster the Texas Rangers aimed to improve at Thursday’s trade deadline, as they added left-handed reliever Danny Coulombe from the Minnesota Twins and right-hander Phil Maton from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Texas dealt left-handed pitching prospect Garrett Horn to Minnesota. For Maton, the Rangers sent the Cardinals a pair of minor league arms — right-hander Skylar Hales and left-hander Mason Molina — as well as international signing bonus pool space.

Coulombe, 35, returned to the Twins after previously pitching for them in 2020-22 and has enjoyed a career year. He has gone 1-0 with two saves and a career-best 1.16 ERA through 40 appearances, including one start as an opener.

In 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-15), Oakland Athletics (2015-18), Twins and Baltimore Orioles (2023-24), Coulombe has gone 16-9 with five saves and a 3.28 ERA in 328 career games (two starts). He’s fanned 300 batters in 304 2/3 innings.

Maton, 32, was likewise having a stellar season for an underperforming team. In his first year with the Cardinals, Maton was 1-3 with two saves, a 2.35 ERA and 48 strikeouts in 38 1/3 innings. In a nine-year major league career with six clubs, Maton is 20-18 with seven saves and a 4.01 ERA; he’s earned 506 strikeouts in 449 1/3 innings.

Horn, 22, has split this season between Rookie ball and Class-A. He is 0-3 with a 2.92 ERA in nine starts.

Hales, 23, has gone 1-5 with a 7.64 ERA in 34 games between Double-A and Triple-A this year. Molina, 22, has split the season between Class-A and High-A, going 3-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 18 games (17 starts).

The moves for Coulombe and Maton complemented the Rangers’ biggest addition on deadline day, Arizona Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly.

–Field Level Media