Is Cody Allen Pitching His Way Out of Cleveland with His Success Thus Far in 2018?

Indians reliever Cody Allen closed out the latest Indians road trip making history, recording saves 139 and 140 to set a new franchise high.

Allen is having what could be an All-Star season, something he’s yet to earn in his career, saving 18 games already this season with a 2-3 mark and a 3.38 ERA.

Last season as the Indians won 102 games, Allen recorded 30 saves, so if things go in the second half as they have so far in the first, it’s likely he’ll set a new high for saves in a season, surpassing the 34 he had in 2015.

While Allen is having success closing games, it could also be sealing his fate in terms of his future with the Indians.

It’s no secret that both Allen and Andrew Miller, who remains on the disabled list, are both going to be free agents at the end of the season, and with the success that Allen is having in 2018, he is going to get plenty of attention on the free agent market, leaving the Tribe minus a closer in 2019.

If you look at the top closer salaries as well as contracts around baseball, it’s hard to think that the Indians are going to break the bank on a player like Allen, despite the fact he’s still just 29 years old and likely has a number of years left to close games at a high level.

The Yankees, Dodgers and Giants have the top three payouts to closers in baseball, as one would expect, with Aroldis Chapman signed in New York till 2021 at a ridiculous 5-year deal worth $86 million, an average of $17.2 million per season.

In comparison, Allen is making $10.5 million this season, a very respectable number but one that a team could easily overshadow with a huge deal on the open market this offseason.

Allen is ranked seventh in the AL in saves this season, but has blown just one save. Edwin Diaz, who leads the AL in saves from the Mariners with 33, has three blown saves for Seattle.

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