Los Angeles Angels may have struck gold with Bailey.

When the Los Angeles Angels signed Andrew Bailey to a minor league contract in August, little did they know that Bailey would be the team’s closer in September.  The insurance policy has paid off big.

In a year of many injuries, the Los Angeles Angels back end of the bullpen has taken some major hits in the past six weeks.  First closer Huston Street was lost for the season.  Then Cam Bedrosian joined that list being sidelined with a blood clot in his right arm.

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Fernando Salas then picked up the slack closing out five games in August.  However, Salas like Joe Smith before him was traded.  So that left the Angels scrambling, but luckily they had signed Bailey to a minor league deal after he was released by the Philadelphia Phillies in late July.

Bailey has been stellar minus one outing against Oakland where he gave up 3 runs in one-third of an inning.  Other than that Bailey would have a 0.00 ERA with the Angels as he has not given up any runs in his nine games he has pitched for the Angels.  Bailey has a 0-0 record with a 3.68 ERA and has five saves in as many chances including both Wednesday night against the Rangers, and tonight against the Houston Astros.

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If you look deeper into Bailey’s numbers they are even more impressive.  In 8.1 innings he has given up only six hits and one walk while striking out six.  His WHIP is a miniscule 0.86 and opponents are batting just .185 against Bailey.  He is found his groove again after a tough first half in Philadelphia where Bailey was 3-1 but had a 6.40 ERA.

Bailey burst on the scene in 2009 as a rookie pitching for the Oakland A’s sporting a 6-3 record with a 1.84 ERA saving 26 games.  He followed it up with another strong season in 2010 going 1-3 with a 1.47 ERA and saving 25 games and Bailey also had 24 saves in 2011 for the A’s before leaving for Boston in a trade that brought Oakland Josh Reddick.

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Once in Beantown Bailey never could seem to find his groove in two seasons compiling a 5.22 ERA in two seasons with the Red Sox saving only 14 games for Boston.  Bailey then suffered a torn capsule and a damaged labrum in his right shoulder which would sideline him for almost two years.

Since coming back in 2015 Bailey has struggled to find his command and has bounced around pitching for the Yankees and then the Phillies, but also in the minors as well. It looks like getting back to California has agreed with Bailey so far.  Hopefully it will continue.

The question will be what role could Bailey play in the back end of the Angels bullpen in 2017.  Who knows if Huston Street will be ready to come back by the beginning of the 2017.  Also Cam Bedrosian’s role will determine a lot for Bailey.  If Bedrosian and Street are ready by the beginning of the season the best Bailey may be able to do is a 7th inning role.

Will Bailey want that role or will he explore free agency to find someone who needs a closer?  That question and Street and Bedrosian’s health were go a long in determining who will be in the Angels bullpen come 2017.