The Angels announced (via their X feed) that they have signed left-hander Adam Kolarek to a one-year contract worth $900K. Kolarek elected to become a free agent after finishing the season in the Braves’ minor league system.
While $900K isn’t much by MLB standards, it is somewhat surprising that Kolarek landed a guaranteed deal at all given his shaky results and even a lack of overall big league playing time over the last three seasons. That said, the Angels were thin on left-handed relief pitching, so locking in Kolarek provides one initial step over what might be a wider-scale revamp of a bullpen that struggled badly last season.
Since Opening Day 2021, Kolarek (who turns 35 in January) has thrown 32 2/3 innings over 32 appearances with the A’s, Dodgers, and Mets, with a 4.58 ERA. Most of those struggles were contained to his 2021-22 seasons in Oakland, but even when posting better results in 2023, Kolarek still found himself as a sudden journeyman.
Kolarek signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last winter and was designated for assignment after just a lone MLB appearance with the team in June. He chose to remain with the organization after being outrighted off the 40-man roster, and was then dealt to the Mets at the deadline and tossed 4 2/3 innings in a New York uniform. Another DFA soon followed, and this time Kolarek did elect free agency rather than accepting another outright assignment, and he then landed with the Braves on a minors deal without seeing any time on the Major League roster in September.
As noted, Kolarek did show flickers of a turnaround in 2023. He didn’t allow any runs (and only two hits and walk) over his six total MLB innings last year, and he had a 3.80 ERA in 42 2/3 frames at the Triple-A level. That minor league ERA comes with the significant red flag of a 16.13% walk rate, as the control problems that hampered Kolarek in 2021-22 continued to be a problem.
The walks have crept up on Kolarek at earlier stages of his career, yet he got things under control during his prime years of 2018-20. The lefty posted a 3.07 ERA in 108 1/3 innings for the Rays and Dodgers during those years, highlighted a World Series ring with Los Angeles in 2020.
While his results have been inconsistent, the one constant throughout Kolarek’s career has been his ability to induce ground balls. Since the start of the 2017 season, only five pitchers with more than 140 innings pitched have a higher grounder rate than Kolarek’s elite 63.9% total.
Holy ship! Start printing those World Series tickets right now!
The Guardians were 3rd runner-up
We’re not looking that much better
Angels won the Sheldon Neuse trade
That’s 2023 Japan Champion Sheldon Neuse to you bud!
Left handed relief pitcher on the cheap. Well, hopefully he won’t be as bad as the team’s previous lh option.
Still wish Moore would be re-signed.
It’s a spot on the 40 man roster. The Angels have one left.
This is standard for the Angels, they go after dregs in December and add players that no one else wants in February and March.
This is so stupid.
Must be a pal of Artie’s
Kolarek checked 2 boxes. 1 throws left handed. 2 has a pulse.
If youve seen him pitch youd know the pulse aint that strong.
Yet another head scratcher. Soooo there were no 25 yr old LH pitchers in your system that you thought could possibly put up those kind of numbers? Maybe a non tender under 30? Maybe a lot of things. 900K isn’t a lot of money by MLB standards, but 35 year olds with no track record are not worth signing this time of year.
I don’t understand. Every data point tells us that since the advent of steroid testing, this has become a young man’s game. What ML executive who gets paid to do his job missed this concept? I hate to be a person who dumps on a team like the Angels, but I have said it before. The divide in baseball is between smart teams and dumb teams, not rich teams and poor teams. I realize this signing amounts to nothing, but it does point to where a front office’s head is. The Dodgers, Rays, Braves, Astros, Phillies, etc, etc, etc, never even look at this guy. The Angels are the Angels because they like being the Angels. There is no other explanation.
Three of the eight years he’s been in the majors he’s pitched for the Dodgers. Granted, extremely limited innings
He’s logged major league innings with the rays, Braves and dodgers. 3/5 of the teams you claimed would never look at this guy.
My point was they wouldn’t be looking at this guy, at this age, at this point in the offseason. I stand by that. But that’s ok, believe what you want. I’m wrong. The Angels are contenders. The Dodgers were right on the brink of snatching this guy up, but the Angels beat ’em to it. Happy Holidays.
Last winter the Dodgers signed him on December 13, less than three weeks later than the Angels signed him this winter. You are clearly a genius.
The Dodgers signed him to a minor league contract. Coming off a 111-51 season with their ML roster basically set. Pretty much the same situation the Angels are in. But like I already said, I’m wrong. You guys are right. The Angels know things.
That’s what i do. I drink and I know things.
He signed for under a million, that’s close to the vet minimum, they need atleast three guys in the bullpen, and he replaces loup. This is the fringe guy they can cut or send down.
Arte is saving the big money for Ohtani.
Love your point about what differentiates teams that achieve success from those that do not. To be fair, smart teams often make ‘questionable’ signings that work out quite well. The Angels have not earned any benefit of the doubt in that regard, however, so this signing is a head scratcher until proven otherwise.
Adam Kolonic will help clean out that bullpen that’s been clogged with mediocrity
kwERA of 4.3022082024 and GB% of 63.9% is approximately 2.660 GBkwERA.
Man I would have signed good old reliable Tommy Milone over this guy. Some of these signings today by various teams really appear to be lost causes. FO’s had interns working the entire Thanksgiving weekend and evidently were very very bored.
Tony Baloneyis better
Why did I ever doubt management when they said they want to compete? I’m sure Trout is thrilled and won’t ask to be traded now.
Carla, please don’t doubt management ever again; it’s best to always be in compliance, with a smile on your face!
“InEppler” LOL gets me every time. Haha. It’s so fitting though.
Anyone who thinks Moreno will do something different this off season compared to the past 20 off seasons hasn’t been paying attention. He will wait for Ohtani to sign elsewhere and miss out on every other pitcher who might make a true difference. He did the same with Garrett Cole and many others. This signing is classic Moreno.
Dumpster diving again are we Arte. This one might have pushed the team over the top, from being a 100 loss team to 99 Ls.
It appears the plan is to get Washington to improve the infield defense then get ground ball pitchers.
Still not sure why a guaranteed roster spot has to be spent here.
It’s a spot on the 40 man roster. The stupidity of this team blows my mind.
This time of year we are always asking the same question: “What do the Angels see in this guy that no one else does.” The answer is always the same: “Nothing.”
I don’t understand why this team locks up spots in November for these types of players. Like Claudio, this isn’t about the money.
Since he has no options, the Angels are penciling in a spot for him on the 25 man roster.
It’s just dumb.
Adam Kolarek is a poor man’s Aaron Loup, and Angels fan should find that deeply frightening.
The good thing about Loup is the Angels signed him in November. Meaning he was chosen to fill a need, it didn’t work out.
When it comes to the bullpen, the Angels only make two kinds of moves, bad moves and stupid moves.
Loup was a bad move. This was a stupid move.
What the Fuq???
Come on Peary!!!!