Los Angeles Angels Create Unique Contract Caveat For Newly-Signed Reliever

Update, 8:35 a.m. EST (1/22): There is a unique contract structure for Stephenson that relates to his elbow health, per Jeff Passan of ESPN:

With questions about Stephenson's elbow health -- he began last season on the injured list with elbow soreness -- the Angels will receive an option for the 2027 season at $2.5 million if his elbow needs Tommy John surgery or causes a long absence, according to sources.

1/20: Robert Stephenson, who served as a key part of the Tampa Bay Rays bullpen in 2023, has signed a three-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

Per 'The Athletic:'

The Los Angeles Angels have made their first free-agency splash of the offseason. They agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with right-handed reliever Robert Stephenson, sources tell The Athletic. The deal is still pending a physical.

Stephenson started his career in 2016 with the Reds, staying there until partway through the 2022 season. With Cincinnati, he served mostly as a reliever, but he did start 11 games that season.

In 2022, he finished up the year with Pittsburgh, staying there partway through 2023, when he finished with Tampa Bay, putting up great numbers once he got there.

Overall in 2023, he went 3-4 with a 3.10 ERA over 60 games, but he had just a 2.35 ERA with Tampa in 42 games. He was a big part of a Rays team that won 99 games and finished second in the loaded American League East.

Lifetime, he's 17-20 with a 4.64 ERA. He has served exclusively as a reliever since that 2017 season. 

He struck out a whopping 77 batters in 52.1 innings in 2023. Lifetime, he's struck out 406 batters in 364.1 innings, proving he has the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that front office executives salivate over.

The Angels are a team in transition in 2024 as they just lost Shohei Ohtani in free agency. They have plenty of questions but with Carlos Estevez and Stephenson, they should have a solidified back-end of the bullpen.