Danny Coulombe

The Sean Doolittle trade thrust Coulombe into a more prominent spot in the A's bullpen and he held his own, earning 13 holds while only blowing one lead. His strikeout and walk rates left quite a bit to be desired -- Coulombe had a 6.8 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 -- but he did a good job of keeping the ball in the yard (0.70 HR/9) thanks to a 56.2 percent groundball rate. Opposing lefties combined for just a .271 wOBA and five extra-base hits against Coulombe (118 batters faced), and Coulombe was excellent at home, posting a 2.25 ERA over 32 innings. The Oakland bullpen is righty-heavy, and Coulombe should once again play an important role in 2018, likely as the top lefty option barring any further offseason additions.

Following a weak finish to the 2015 season, Coulombe spent 2016 shuttling between Oakland and Triple-A Nashville. The lefty failed to break camp with the big league club, and when he did reach the majors, he failed to make a strong case for a full-time spot entering 2017. His 10.2 K/9 was impressive, but his 3.2 BB/9 left much to be desired, and he served up too many home runs for anyone's liking. He posted just a 62.5 percent strand rate, which certainly didn't help matters. There is something good that can be taken from last season though; the 27-year-old's stellar performance with Triple-A Nashville. In 25 innings with the Sounds, he gave up just three runs while posting a 35:6 K:BB. Coulombe still has a bit of developing to do, but his expansive four-pitch arsenal and propensity for missing bats could help him carve out a steady role in the Athletics' bullpen if he can show more command in the coming year.

Coulombe is a rare four-pitch reliever, which has certainly helped in his ascent through the Dodgers' system as he's been able to miss plenty of bats along the way. The Dodgers gave him a taste of the big leagues in September, where he didn't do much to stand out in a tiny sample (4.1 innings). He was then sent to the Arizona Fall League, where he held the opposition without an earned run through four appearances before being shut down. Considering that he skipped Triple-A in 2014 and that he has all of his minor league options remaining, Coulombe seems destined for the Pacific Coast League to begin the 2015 campaign.