The Angels announced (via their X feed) that they have signed left-hander Adam Kolarek to a one-year contract worth $900K.  Kolarek elected to become a free agent after finishing the season in the Braves’ minor league system.

While $900K isn’t much by MLB standards, it is somewhat surprising that Kolarek landed a guaranteed deal at all given his shaky results and even a lack of overall big league playing time over the last three seasons.  Since Opening Day 2021, Kolarek has thrown 32 2/3 innings over 32 appearances with the A’s, Dodgers, and Mets, with a 4.58 ERA.  Most of those struggles were contained to his 2021-22 seasons in Oakland, but even when posting better results in 2023, Kolarek still himself as a sudden journeyman.

Kolarek signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers over the winter and was designated for assignment after just a lone MLB appearance with the team in June.  He chose to remain with the organization after being outrighted off the 40-man roster, and was then dealt to the Mets at the deadline and tossed 4 2/3 innings in a New York uniform.  Another DFA soon followed, and this time Kolarek did elect free agency rather than accepting another outright assignment, and he then landed with the Braves on a minors deal without seeing any time on the Major League roster in September.

As noted, Kolarek did show signs of a turnaround in 2023.  He didn’t allow any runs (and only two hits and walk) over his six total MLB innings last year, and he had a 3.80 ERA in 42 2/3 frames at the Triple-A level.  That minor league ERA comes with the significant red flag of a 16.13% walk rate, as the control problems that hampered Kolarek in 2021-22 continued to be a problem.

More to come…