Angels Sign Former All-Star Closer to Minor League Contract

Maren Angus-Coombs | Aug 14, 2024

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Angels signed veteran reliever Corey Knebel to a minor league contract on Tuesday, as noted on Major League Baseball's transaction log.

The former All-Star closer was assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Knebel signed with the Angels after he was granted his release from a non-roster deal with the Chicago White Sox earlier this month.

The Angels signed RHP Corey Knebel to a minor league deal. He's 32.

He hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022. He had a 5.91 ERA in the White Sox farm system this year.

— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) August 14, 2024

The 32-year-old hasn't pitched in a major league game since 2022. Knebel didn’t pitch last season as he rehabbed a capsule strain that he suffered with the Phillies two years ago.

While Knebel never appeared in a game for the White Sox, he did make six rehab appearances split between the Arizona Complex League and High-A. He also appeared six times for Triple-A Charlotte and recorded 5.1 scoreless innings while striking out eight.

In 2017, Knebel saved 39 games for the Brewers with a 1.78 earned run average and 126 strikeouts in 76 innings. He had 12 saves in 46 games for the Phillies before suffering the setback with his shoulder.

“Yeah, I mean, the surgery, it’s whatever. I guess there’s timetables on it. You can never really go off of it,” Knebel told Scott Merkin of MLB.com in March. “Just take it day by day and don’t try to do too much [or] overdo it. Obviously, sometimes it will work out. Sometimes, it won’t. I’m just trying not to get ahead of myself.

“Everything has been going well. Obviously, I haven’t thrown any live BPs, no games yet. It’s just bullpens. Trying not to have any kind of setbacks. Trying to get right and probably not going to be for Opening Day. But go from there.”

Knebel has had his fair share of injuries. He underwent a Tommy John procedure in 2019 and subsequently missed time with lat and shoulder concerns.

He didn't want to miss out on another season with a big league club, which led him to signing elsewhere.

“I mean, the shoulder feels great. That’s a positive,” Knebel said during spring training. “Take those. Last week, shoulder didn’t feel great. So I’m trying to do whatever I can, and make sure nothing else happens. I’m feeling good right now, so we’ll just keep going.

“It’s Spring Training and they understand it, too. I’m not trying to be on the shelf for a whole year again. If I’m on the shelf for two weeks, three weeks, so be it.”

Knebel will return to free agency this offseason regardless of whether he gets called up to the Angels or not. These last six weeks of the regular season could serve as a tryout for him — either with the Angels or another organization.