The Indians and closer Cody Allen have reached an agreement on a one-year deal for the 2018 season, avoiding arbitration.
Allen was entering his final season of arbitration eligibility. According to a report by the Associated Press, the one-year contract is valued at $10.575 million.
Allen has been one of the better closers in baseball over the last four seasons. In 2017, he recorded 30 saves _ the third consecutive year in which he reached that plateau _ and posted a 2.94 ERA to go with a 12.3 K/9 rate.
In six years in the Indians bullpen, he has a combined 2.94 ERA and 11.7 K/9 rate. He was at his best during the team's run to the 2016 World Series, during which he didn't allow a run in 13 2/3 postseason innings.
Allen is currently eligible to hit the free-agent market after the 2018 season, as is Andrew Miller, putting the future of the Indians bullpen in a precarious position.
Bryan Shaw and Joe Smith left through free agency this offseason to join the Colorado Rockies and Houston Astros, respectively.
Miller is set to make $9 million this season. It's likely a safe bet that both he and Allen would receive raises on the open market in long-term deals if an extension isn't reached with the Indians before that time.
Other arbitration-eligible players this offseason include Danny Salazar, Trevor Bauer, Zach McAllister and Lonnie Chisenhall.
Friday is the deadline for teams and players to submit figures for the 2018 season.
