The Los Angeles Angels have reportedly agreed to a contract with free-agent reliever Cody Allen, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan and Alden Gonzalez. The contract will be completed pending the results of a physical.
He'll receive $8.5 million, with $2.5 million in incentives for games finished, sources told The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.
Allen, one of the top relievers left on the free-agent market, has been looking for an opportunity to close, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He should find that with the Angels, a team without an experienced arm at the back end of its bullpen. Right now, rookie Ty Buttrey appears to be slotted into the closer's role.
Allen is coming off a down season with the Cleveland Indians. While he did save 27 games for the AL Central champions, the 30-year-old posted career-worst marks in ERA (4.70), WHIP (1.36), and home runs allowed (11), while his K/9 rate dipped by nearly two strikeouts from 2017.
Aside from 2018, Allen has been a consistent reliever during his seven-year career with the Indians. From 2013 to 2017 he averaged 72 appearances and 24 saves per season while posting a 2.59 ERA and averaging nearly 12 strikeouts per nine innings over that span. He's also had plenty of success in the playoffs and didn't allow a run over 10 appearances during the Indians' run to the World Series in 2016.
The Texas Rangers were also reportedly in contact with Allen earlier this week.