Right-handed reliever Cody Allen received interest from teams earlier this offseason, but he has decided to retire, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.
Allen, who turned 32 in November, is best known for what was largely an excellent run with the Indians. The club selected him in the 23rd round of the 2011 draft, and he debuted just a year later. From then through 2017, Allen notched a 2.67 ERA with a 31.5 percent strikeout rate and a 9.5 percent walk rate in 373 2/3 innings. Allen averaged about 95 mph on his fastball during that span, amassed 67 or more innings in five seasons, and saved 122 of his 140 chances – good for a tremendous 87-plus percent success rate.
While Allen was a gem in Cleveland for the majority of his career, his production started to drop off in his last season with the team in 2018, though he did save another 27 games that year. The Angels then signed Allen to an $8.5MM guarantee heading into 2019, but the union didn’t work out for either side. Allen tossed 23 innings with the club and recorded a 6.26 ERA with a career-worst 17.2 percent walk rate and a personal-low 92.3 mph fastball velocity. The Angels released Allen in June of that season, and he didn’t pitch again after that despite signing minor league contracts with the Rangers and Cubs last winter.
Allen’s time in the bigs concluded with a 3.14 ERA and 153 saves in 463 2/3 innings. MLBTR congratulates Allen on a solid career and wishes him the best in retirement.
He was great, then he fell off a cliff. Bit of a shame, but he had a great career.
For a 23rd round draft pick, not bad.
23rd round & debuted a yr later. That’s amazing! How often do we see that?
If falling off a cliff means retiring at 32, I’m willing to be a lemming!
32 years old & made 32 mil.
That’ll play. Time to just hang out with the kids & go hunting & fishing every day.
They do a lot of hunting and fishing in Orlando, FL, do they?
It’s not my style, but Florida is a great place to be a sportsman, bro. Just spoke with my business partner.
He’s there now fishing for barracuda.
If you want to fish then yeah all day. My mom just caught some barracuda and snapper over her bday weekend. I’m sure there is some sort of land hunting to be done in the state if you like. Just don’t mess with the Key Deer and Manatees
I know that their quail season runs through early March. Which is cool.
My grandfather used to go to Florida to catch the Yanks spring training. He’d bird hunt & fly fish while he was down there.
I’ve never hunted – nor do I want to – in Florida. But I know there are some pretty unique opportunities. & – obviously – the fishing is world class.
GF lives in Orlando. Can confirm it sucks. She’s moving with me to Tampa/St Pete this summer thankfully so I don’t have to keep visiting that dastardly place so much.
Way to live the dream Cody!
Congratulations!
Arte Moreno has given great retirement packages to many players. Cody Allen, Matt Harvey, Gary Matthews Jr., Josh Hamilton….
Hey Harvey is still going at it!
Don’t forget:
CJ Wilson
Albert Pujols
Zack Cozart
Luis Valbuena
Yep. Sad that Valbuena died so young.
Why would Moreno spend then and not know?
He’s still spending the same amount of money. Trout, Pujols, Upton, Rendon account for more salary than several teams.
Arte has always spent, He’s just spent foolishly far too often. And he’s always spent on free agents rather than scouting and development and front office types.
But the pen is this team biggest problem. I was hoping after they got rid of last years arson squad the put more money in the pen. They have not.
He’s at that odd age and type of pitcher that if he went overseas a pitched well, I could easily see him sign a major league deal in 2 years. Idk. Hard to just up and move to Korea I suppose lol
A career that most would dream for. Used to be terrific, but could just never find it there in the end. I hoped he would make it with the Rangers, but just like Lincecum, it never came to fruition. Happy trails Cody Allen.
Not a bad career at all. Enjoy retirement Cody
One of the better relievers in recent memory to not make an All-Star game. Still had a good career regardless.
Who are some of the best players in recent memory to not make an all-star game?
Depends how you define “recent” I guess, but Tim Salmon and Kirk Gibson come to mind.
More recently DiDi Gregorius, Carlos Carrasco, Andrelton Simmons
Those are good ones. I think I remember seeing that Juan Pierre has the most hits for any player to have never made an all-star game (ovbisousy since the ASG started). Up until 2019, Carlos Santana was one. Another former Cleveland Indian to not make an ASG but is still a great player, Mike Clevinger.
Cody Allen.
Bengie Molina. John Valinton, Eric Chavez, Eric Karros, Rick Porcello even in a Cy Young award year wasn’t an all star. Maybe the most underrated of them all: Rick Dempsey
Great career Cody. See you in Cooperstown.
Is this a rib? Or is he and Grady Sizemore going there annually to hold Jim Thome’s bags?
Tickets are $24.99……..
He’s age eligible for my wood bat team…………..
I’m surprised by this, he had a solid career though.
Dude is walking away with around $14M and change in cash at 32 years old after just 8 major league seasons. That’s very impressive. He made a lot of money really quickly. Most guys in similar positions with similar careers to him don’t make that much money.
Good for him. I hope he invests it well and spends his days kicking back with his family.
$32 million in earnings and $18 million in taxes? Ouch.
He probably walked away with about $18 million if he was taxed at the highest possible rate of 43% and change.
I don’t think you understand how finance works or what the word ‘cash’ means.
For those questioning my math, he still has to pay an agent their fee. 37% federal, 5-10% agent fee, so that’s 44% right there, and then players pay state taxes in every state they play in, not just where they personally live, so I estimated he got taxed 56% overall. Fine, it’s probably a slight over estimate. Maybe he did walk away with closer to $18.6M. Lets say it’s $16.5M after taxes and representative fees. My bad.
Terry Franconia has a history of burning up pitchers. Still earning 33 million, that equals a 500 person city police department budget for a year. You wouldn’t call him if you were being assaulted but he did get called from the bullpen. As noted he did well for a guy who benefited the common good so little.
Generate revenue get paid. It’s called capitalism and nothing has benefitted the common good as much.
Glad Cody Allen retired. When I lst saw his name, I thought the Mets were going to try to sign him also. Maybe they will try to sign him out of retirement? Smh
The league pretty much retired Allen last year. Minor league stints with the Twins, Rangers, and Cubs over the last year and a half and couldn’t get a September callup probably helped make his decision. Good for him though. Got to be a Closer on a World Series team even though they didn’t win he’ll always have that
Yank4Life-Sounds like you have the Mets on your mind. Don’t worry about us. Your yanks will be just fine.
Congratulation Cody! You had a solid career for the Indians. Best wishes for your future!
Great closer! One of the most underrated and consistent closers for a stretch and absolutely nails in the postseason.
MLBTR, Angel fans universally would appreciate if you changed the feature pic to him in a Cleveland uniform.
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It’s a reminder that our team continually throws away money on useless one year pitching contracts.
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Odds are that pitch he threw in the existing pic was deposited in the outfield seats.
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Thanks.
He must feel like he just really doesn’t have the stuff he used to… otherwise I’d think think at just 32/33 years old he’d want to give it at least one more go! But if his arm is indeed wiped out from all those seasons of being as good as he was… its probably bigger for him to be able to walk away from the game now rather than try to force another season out of himself if the arms just shot. Regardless he had one of the more quietly dominant relief careers of the past decade and wish him the best in his post-playing career.
Congrats to a real good friend! Cody thanks for being a stand up guy, husband, dad and friend! You are one of the most stand up guys I know! Thanks for always being true to your word. Excited to see what God has instore for next chapter to life!
I’m an Indians fan and several years ago, during the height of his career, I heard Cody during an interview from Spring Training on the local sports talk station. Even though he was only in his mid-to-late 20’s I was greatly impressed with Cody’s maturity and humility. I’m sorry that he is retiring now, but he strikes me as a level-headed guy who has prepared for this day and hasn’t wasted his earnings as some others have. I wish him and his family well in his retirement. Thanks for all the exciting times and great memories, Cody, from an Indians fan.
23rd round pick that made $32.5MM over 8 seasons. That’ll work.