KANSAS CITY, MO. – The Twins have signed former Cleveland Indians closer Cody Allen to a minor league deal, and will see if they can help him regain his old form.
Allen signed as a free agent with the Los Angeles Angels last offseaon, getting an $8.5 million, one-year contract to be their closer. But this season was a disaster for the 30-year-old, as he posted a 6.26 ERA in 25 games while picking up four saves. Not only did he lose his closer's job, but he ended up making mop-up appearances, like on May 23 against the Twins during a 16-7 beatdown in which the Twins clubbed eight home runs. Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario homered off him in that game.
The Angels released him Tuesday and remain on the hook for the majority of his salary.
Allen used to be one of the most reliable arms in the game, and he is the Indians all-time saves leader with 149. At his age, it's not out of the question that he can turn things around. But the Twins, after initially kicking the tires on him during the offseason, backed off of him during free agency.
His fastball is down two miles an hour, to 92.3 miles per hour, than it was two years ago. And he has struggled to maintain his good breaking ball.
In 2017, Allen had 30 saves to go with a 2.94 ERA, his fifth consecutive year with an ERA below 3.00. But last year, even though he finished with 27 saves, he had a 4.70 ERA with the Indians, including a 6.39 ERA, four blown saves and six home runs allowed over his final 33 appearances.
