15 worst Los Angeles Angels free agent signings in franchise history

11. Cody Allen: One Year, $8.5 million, 2019

Cody Allen developed into one of the best closers in baseball for the Cleveland Indians. Andrew Miller is the reliever everyone talks about from the 2016 team, and for good reason, but Cody Allen was that team's closer, not Miller.

In a five year span from 2013-2017, Allen posted a 2.59 ERA in 359 appearances and recorded 122 saves. He always had elite strikeout numbers and saved as many as 34 games in a season. He was crucial for those Cleveland teams.

Allen was so good for the first six years of his career but hit a wall in 2018. The right hander had a 4.70 ERA in 70 appearances, he struck out fewer batters than he had in any year since his rookie season, and his walks skyrocketted.

Despite the rough year, the Angels gave him $8.5 million dollars to pitch for them in 2019. The gamble for him to rediscover his form predictably failed.

Allen began the year as the Halos closer and recorded four saves in his first six appearances but struggled mightily. He lost his job at the end of April, and ended up being DFA'd by the Angels in June after allowing four runs in an outing in Tampa Bay while recording just two outs.

Allen allowed 16 runs in 25 appearances and 23 innings pitched. He walked 20 batters in those 23 innings and had an 8.39 FIP. Just another deal that didn't work from the beginning for the Angels.