Free-agent reliever Cody Allen, whom the Angels released Tuesday, is drawing substantial interest. At least 11 teams have inquired about Allen, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
The Angels signed the 30-year-old Allen to an $8.5MM guarantee in the offseason, but the union provided disastrous for the club. Allen registered an awful 6.26 ERA/8.34 FIP with 11.35 K/9, 7.83 BB/9 and a paltry 19.7 percent groundball rate in 23 innings before the Angels cut the cord on him. The right-hander posted his lowest swinging-strike rate since 2012, his first season, and the worst contact percentage of his career in the process. He also logged his lowest velocity since entering the bigs and yielded more fly balls than ever. All told, the Angels’ version Allen managed the game’s 10th-worst weighted on-base average against (.419) and its fifth-highest xwOBA (.412), according to Statcast.
Even though Allen looks done at this point, the fact that he’s not far removed from a successful stint in Cleveland gives teams hope for a revival on a low-risk deal. Allen fell flat in 2018, which forced him to settle for a one-year pact last winter, though he was mostly terrific with the Indians. As a member of the Tribe’s bullpen from 2012-18, Allen put up a 2.98 ERA/3.17 FIP with 11.52 K/9 against 3.53 BB/9, and converted 149 of 172 save opportunities.
I swear if this is the guy the twins get I’m gonna be more than pissed
Except if he bounces back and then you’ll pretend this post didn’t happen. Nothing wrong with a vet minimum cost guy for the bullpen. No risk.
I like what both your names and what you have to say.
If it’s in the minors…..
Wouldn’t call it risk free. A contender brings him in for a prorated minimum that’s great but how much of a price is it if he’s getting shelled costing you wins
i doubt its gonna be a ML deal, and if he’s bad at AAA, they just wont call him up.
Getting pissed at signing a player for the MLB minimum, minor league deals or waiver pickups is wasted energy
Eat sleep live Red Sox baseball baby. I know what he’s going through even tbough he’s a twins fan. Just can’t help it. We breathe for this stuff. Especially Sox fans like me, you know how we get.
I totally get his fire for the small transactions… Im the same way…for instance, tomorrow is the NBA draft. I’m calling in sick !!
Go Warriors, time to retool. Don’t Want to Miss a single second of the coverage. Trades, highlights of guys picked, in depth analysis. Love it. 4 hours of drafting and a lot of the guys won’t even see time in the NBA. But I wouldn’t miss it.
Gary, you’re fired. Love, your boss.
Why? Let him
Build up in the minors, if he doesn’t work out who cares? Doesn’t affect our big league club. Why not try?
Decent value-signing. Typical Twins move that will more-than-likely turn out well.
I’d do it.
I dont get it. Why not trade to trade him and absorb the whole salary if this is how it was gonna go? Like get a flier guy.
Because why would any team give up a prospect when they know if they don’t you will just release him anyway.
So you guarantee you get him.
No one is tripping over themselves to guarantee getting him.
And why not let the other team pay the salary, and you get to sign him fir the major league minimum.
Likely tried to before his release. No one wanted to offer anything. Carries a 8.5 salary, why offer anything to capture that when you can just wait for them to release him and pay the prorated minimum.
I hope the Rockies are on the phone right now. They need fresh bodies in the bullpen.
I’m fresh; I’ve got my phone nearby.
After seeing Wade Davis, Jairo Diaz, and Mike Dunn the past few times, I wouldn’t even mind you getting a tryout. Couldn’t be much worse.
He can’t be much worse that what the Mets are trotting out each night.
He can. Probably will. But they should still probably try. It’s that time.
The guys done. It happens.
What’s with all the magical thinking?
It’s far from unheard of for relievers to change teams and figure something out and find success again. His velocity is down, but he’s still striking guys out like he has throughout his career. If he’s still able to make guys miss, seems like he just needs to harness his control and make fewer mistakes. Yes that’s a big ask. Perhaps a new pitching coach can help him with that. I’m sure Angels thought Fernando Rodney was done at 35 after a couple 4+ ERA and high WHIP seasons, then the guy goes on to have a historical year in Tampa. It’s a flier, why not?
Everyone is striking people out nowadays
Maybe he just needs a change of scenery like when the rangers cut Sam Dyson.
Angel’s do this all the time. They pick up relievers hoping they return to form and they either dont or get cut and then they do with another team…. shame
cough Kirby Yates cough..
Red Sox could use a Closer!
I hope the Red Sox pick him up
This has Andrew Friedman written all over it. Brandon Morrow 2.0?
The Red Sox make the most sense for Allen, as he could in theory fill their void at closer. But Dombrowski is probably not one of the 11 GMs to reach out to Allen.
I would love for Boston to have Allen as their closer
He is ripe for picking by your hometown rivals. Doubt Boston would want to chance any wins right now.
Braves, they need a BP arm from the right side. They were connected to him over the winter makes sense.
As would most AL hitters. Doubtful anyone makes him a closer, but vet that’s his goal – to become a closer again. Despite his ineffectiveness the past couple years, I’d be surprised if he has given up on himself.
No brainer minor league deal for most teams, including the braves. Question is, who is gonna offer a major league spot or who’s gonna offer an incentive that’s incredibly to high if he makes a major league roster. Got to think he ultimately wants to be on a playoff contender
Detroit can start him in Toledo and offer the closers role when they trade Greene
Cody Allen has a wonderful reputation as a teammate and as a competitor. I am an avid Indians fan. But his many hiccups in 2018 with the Tribe, especially in non-save situations, and his disastrous experience with the Halos, most likely point to the end of the line. We will see. There are some great comeback stories. That’s why baseball is so great!