[Baltimore Sun] Orioles activate Danny Coulombe; Ryan Mountcastle to begin rehab assignment | NOTES
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Brandon Hyde’s Swiss Army knife is back in his bullpen.
The Orioles on Friday activated reliever Danny Coulombe off the injured list, Hyde said before his club’s game against the Detroit Tigers, after the left-hander missed the past three months because of elbow surgery. Right-handed reliever Burch Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right adductor/groin strain.
Coulombe, who received surgery in mid-June to remove bone chips from his elbow, was one of Baltimore’s best relievers before his injury in early June, and his return could be pivotal for a bullpen that’s been inconsistent for most of the second half.
In 2023 and for the first 10 weeks of this season, Hyde deployed Coulombe in a wide array of roles, and the southpaw usually delivered. As a lefty, Coulombe often entered to face a pocket of left-handed hitters in high-leverage situations. Other times, since the journeyman is just as effective against right-handed hitters, Hyde also used him as essentially Baltimore’s best reliever, having him face the heart of the opposing team’s order in the seventh or eighth inning.
Coulombe has the ability to go two innings, but he’s also been effective stranding runners on base. In 2023, he inherited 49 runners and allowed only 11 to score. This year, he took over with 13 runners on base, and none of them scored.
The 34-year-old was putting up an All-Star-caliber first half before his injury. In 26 innings, Coulombe posted a 2.42 ERA and staggering 0.615 WHIP — a figure that ranked best among MLB relievers when he was placed on the IL. He allowed only 13 hits while striking out 28 batters across his 29 appearances.
Mountcastle nearing return
The positive injury news keeps on coming for Baltimore.
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle is beginning his minor league rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Norfolk on Friday. He joins teammates Ramón Urías and Jordan Westburg, a pair of infielders also rehabbing with the Tides.
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Mountcastle has been out since late August with a sprained left wrist. The Orioles haven’t revealed timelines for any of those players to make their returns, but Norfolk’s season ends Sunday.
Time running out for Rodriguez
Grayson Rodriguez still hasn’t faced live hitters as he makes his way back from a strained shoulder muscle.
The right-hander threw a bullpen session at Camden Yards on Friday, but it’s becoming more likely by the day that he won’t be able to return to Baltimore’s starting rotation by the end of the regular season.
General manager Mike Elias said Tuesday that he hadn’t ruled out the possibility of temporarily turning Rodriguez into a reliever for the postseason.
This article will be updated.
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