It's been a long time coming. Boston signed Coulombe to a one-year, $1 million deal back in March off a strong 2.30 ERA season, banking on a reliable lefty out of the pen. Instead, the 36-year-old turned in a 6.39 ERA across 18 appearances and never really settled in, and reports had been circulating for weeks that he was the most likely Red Sox player to get the DFA treatment.
MLB Trade Rumors confirmed the move, opening a 40-man roster spot for Boston.
The writing was on the wall before this. Coulombe had already struggled down the stretch last year after getting traded to the Rangers, and Boston went out and added another left-handed reliever, Joe La Sorsa, just days before pulling the plug on Coulombe. That's usually the tell — teams don't stockpile a redundant piece unless they're planning to move on from the guy already struggling.
What made this one notable is just how long Boston waited. Entering this stretch, the Red Sox were reportedly the only team in baseball that hadn't designated a single player for assignment all season, which made Coulombe's roster spot something of a running storyline among the beat crowd. Now that streak is over, and it happened right as the trade deadline stretch heats up and clubs are jockeying for bullpen depth and 40-man flexibility.
For Coulombe, this likely means a trip through waivers or a minor league assignment if he clears, with his $1 million salary mostly guaranteed regardless. For the Red Sox, it's a small but real signal — the front office is willing to cut bait on underperformers as they retool the bullpen for a playoff push, and it clears a spot that could be used for a trade addition before the deadline closes.