The Texas Rangers received two important injury updates on Thursday as they continue their push for an American League Wild Card spot in September. Sitting 1.5 games behind the Seattle Mariners for the third Wild Card position and 5.5 games back of the AL West–leading Houston Astros, Texas lines up for a three-game set against Houston this weekend, with significant roster movement in the bullpen.
The Rangers have placed left-hander Danny Coulombe on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder fatigue, retroactive to September 1. Coulombe, acquired from the Minnesota Twins at the July 31 trade deadline, had pitched effectively early in his Rangers tenure but struggled badly before the injury. After tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings in his first outings for Texas, he allowed seven runs across his next 3 2/3 innings, including a three-run appearance on August 26 that ended after just one-third of an inning. He won’t be eligible to return until at least September 16.
The 35-year-old veteran has appeared in the majors since 2014 with the Dodgers, Athletics, Orioles, Twins, and Rangers. In 2023, he posted a 2.81 ERA across 61 games with Baltimore. After elbow surgery in June 2024, he returned late that year and finished with a 2.12 ERA in 33 games. Signed by Minnesota to a one-year, $3 million deal in February 2025, he was traded to Texas at the deadline. For the season, Coulombe has combined for a 4.05 ERA between Minnesota and Texas, with most of the damage coming during his recent struggles in Arlington.
To fill Coulombe’s roster spot, the Rangers have activated right-hander Cole Winn from the injured list. The 25-year-old former first-round pick had been out of action since August 20 with nerve irritation in his right hand, but returned after a rehab outing on Tuesday in which he threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Round Rock. Leading up to the injury, Winn functioned as a linchpin in the bullpen for manager Bruce Bochy, posting a 1.45 ERA across 31 innings this season with 26 strikeouts and a 1.000 WHIP over 25 relief appearances.
Winn’s development has been notable after a difficult 2024 rookie campaign in which he allowed 15 runs in 17 1/3 innings. Transitioning permanently to relief in 2025, he has become one of Texas’ most reliable late-inning options. Out of the pen, his combination of pitches has been highly effective. His slider generates a 38.1 percent whiff rate, while his splitter, used 13 percent of the time, produces swings and misses at a 40 percent clip, according to Baseball Savant
The timing couldn’t be more important. The Rangers have already parked nine players on the injured list in just 18 days, including Marcus Semien, Corey Seager, and Nathan Eovaldi. Uncertainty around Adolis Garcia’s recovery from a Grade 2 quadriceps strain only heightens the value of bullpen depth.
