2:55pm: It’s a split deal for Allard that’d pay him at a $1MM rate in the Majors with another $125K via incentives, reports Matt Gelb of The Athletic. Allard will earn at a $375K rate in the minors, Gelb adds.
2:32pm: The Phillies announced Tuesday that they’ve signed free agent left-hander Kolby Allard to a one-year contract. The Excel Sports Management client will be added to Philadelphia’s 40-man roster, although he has a minor league option remaining, so it’s not a lock he’ll be on the Opening Day roster. Allard, who was non-tendered by the Braves back in November, has three-plus years of MLB service (3.162) and is controllable through the 2026 season.
Originally selected by the Braves with the No. 14 overall pick back in 2015, Allard long rated as one of the sport’s top pitching prospects. Back injuries hobbled him throughout the early stages of his career, however, and he’s yet to establish himself at the MLB level in parts of six seasons with the Braves and Rangers. Atlanta traded Allard to Texas in the 2019 swap that sent reliever Chris Martin to Atlanta, and the Rangers sent him back to the Braves following the 2022 season in exchange for righty Jake Odorizzi (plus $10MM to cover the bulk of Odorizzi’s $12MM salary).
In 2023, Allard opened the season on the 60-day injured list owing to a Grade 2 oblique strain suffered in camp. He returned over the summer but made only four appearances before inflammation in his shoulder led to him being shut back down and shelved for the remainder of the year. He was limited to just 12 1/3 innings overall, yielding nine runs on 16 hits and four walks with 13 strikeouts (6.57 ERA).
Allard has just one season with a sub-5.00 ERA under his belt — the 4.96 mark he recorded through nine starts (45 1/3 innings) during his first season as a Ranger. He’s made 38 MLB starts and another 31 relief appearances, accumulating a total of 245 innings but with an unsightly 6.10 ERA to show for it. Allard has missed bats at close to league-average levels in brief looks over the past two seasons, but he has a below-average 18.8% strikeout rate in his career and sits in the 90-91 mph range with his fastball. He’s regularly shown strong command, evidenced by a 7.7% walk rate in his time as a big leaguer.
While he hasn’t found sustained MLB success yet, Allard does have a nice track record in the upper minors. He’s pitched in parts of four Triple-A seasons, totaling 323 innings at that level, and recorded a solid 3.71 earned run average in that time. Along the way, he’s fanned 23.4% of his opponents against an 8.3% walk rate — all while working exclusively out of the starting rotation.
Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said earlier this month that he’d been engaged with several free agents in an effort to bolster his team’s rotation depth behind its top five starters: Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suarez, Taijuan Walker and Cristopher Sanchez. Allard is one step toward doing so, and he’ll cost little more than the 40-man roster spot which the team has promised to him.
It’s certainly feasible that Allard could eventually join the big league club as a swingman or lefty reliever, but out-of-options journeyman Dylan Covey seems likely to hold that long relief job to begin the season. And, given that Dombrowski was speaking on record about pursuing exactly this type of rotation depth just a few weeks ago, it seems fair to expect that the initial plan for Allard is for him to open the year in the rotation in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. A spring injury to one of the current starters or perhaps a strong showing (and matching poor performance from Covey) could alter that trajectory, of course.
Ugh…
Hes a depth shot in the dark piece why are you so dramatic?
Because Allard is a million dollar depth shot, an expensive lottery ticket.
Not as expensive as a $5MM Gallo.
Because we wasted a 40 man spot on a AAAA player.
Knowing my luck he will figure something out in Philadelphia and dominate the East lol.
Don’t worry the idiot fans above your comment dont want him at all because he cost 1 mil which is $280k over minimum! Or a 40 man roster spot that they can just release during ST if he sucks! Ppl are stupid!
You have zero idea how a shot in the dark works. Minimum salary is $720k 1 mil is chump change for a guy that IF he makes the team is a steal, if not he’s released! Where is the problem with this in JANUARY? You comment on almost every post yet you talk like a guy who’s never understood this!
Although do note if you are going to correct people, you should get it right, Minimum salary is $740,000. So your point is more valid and also incorrect 🙂
Allard looked like he might have figured it out before he got hurt last year. Sucks that the Phillies got him because now I can’t cheer for him to make it.
Won’t*
Not the bullpen upgrade I was looking for. Bring Neris home before he signs with the Yankees.
I’m on the fence with Neris. But he’s done the job, I think he was getting figured out his last yr in Philly. He was also relied on too much. Now, as far as Allard, I have a saying…the Braves never let good pitching go.
DD is playing 34 dimensional chess.
We really need more pitching help. This wasn’t what I had in mind. But here’s hoping it’s a diamond in the rough type signing.
Not much bullpen help out there with Hader and Stephenson off the table.
The guy stinks. I hated him ever since he played for Texas.
Hating someone just because they aren’t a great pitcher is weird.
Not by hate as in he’s a jerk, but he’s always there to let ya down.
I agree with you there, it’s hard to come into the braves where your expectations are so low, and still manage to not even come close to any of those said expectations, and let everyone down. Hope he figures it out. But with so many injuries, and results that are so poor, including a fastball that tops out at 91, he’s more than likely to let the phillies and their low expectations of him down just as with the braves and the rangers.
Phillies need a bullpen arm preferably a closer Dombrowski said he wanted to cut out some of the swing and miss in the lineup and had done nothing to improve it beginning to worry a little
There are no real upgrades out there after Hader signed. I would love a reunion with Neris, but I hear he’s close to signing with the Yanks.
There’s this two time All-Star Closer available to Phillies named Gregory Soto.
$1M with a 9-24 and 6.10 ERA…really?
Don’t fret there must be some peripheral stats out there to make him a catch. OR maybe Cotham saw something? He is well respected in the game for sure, just don’t know what kind of “personnel pull” he’s got?
Yeah, I never got why fans get upset over $1m filler signings. Almost every team does them.
agreed @More Relievers. i don’t think that if he makes the team out of ST and actually stays all season to earn that $1M, that ticket prices are going up. if he doesn’t make the club, they can cut him off the 40 man and he’ll make $375k. prob won’t increase the ticket prices for AAA seats either.
if he can give you a few decent innings of relief, he can be on the AAA shuttle with little downside.
Gromit, this is take I like, thank you!
I feel like it is a great move. If he does not help in Philly at least the Pigs will have a quality rotation piece.
I never heard of the guy before this article, but he’s only been with the Braves and Rangers and missed being on the right team in 2021 and 2023? Rough.
Interesting signing, Allard looked good at times last year. Wonder if they see something in him that Cotham can bring out. Having an option remaining is probably why they signed him. They can stash and recall him if someone is injured. Pitches similar to Sanchez so wondering if that’s what they see?
But the Phils need bullpen help, most of the bigger impact guys are gone. I think one name to watch is Ryne Stanek, he’s had success in TB, MIA, & HOU and has had closer and setup experience. He could be a guy that produces for a team for a low AAV. Stanek & Neris on 1 year deals would go a long way.
Trade options could be maybe one of the Rogers brothers from the Giants. Given the money they guaranteed to Hicks and Doval closing games. If Hicks doesn’t produce in the rotation, the Giants probably move one of the brothers to clear some payroll given how much they have committed to relief arms.
Unless the Phillies believe in some of their AAA arms like McKinley Moore making that jump or guys like Brogdon or Bellatti who lost their spots, winning them back in ST.
I’d like to see both Brogdon and Bellatti reset and contribute to the pen. Brogdon especially.
LOL…. Could have used that Million dollar contract for someone who is healthy and can pitch!
I hope Allard gets 10 wins this year
Does anyone know how these split deals affect the CBT? Is a $375k hit? $1m? Or just the part of the $1m he gets while being in MLB?
A little long relief depth with an option remaining in the event Covey is worse than expected. Guys who can pitch multiple innings can certainly help prevent over-taxing a bullpen over the course of the season. I have a feeling DD will be opportunistic as we move into February, and hope that he upgrades Cave’s bench position. I’d also like the Phillies to strongly consider giving Marchan a shot to supplant Stubbs.
taking a flyer on former first round pick pitcher worked last year with Hoffman, so why not.
Same high school as Mark Sanchez and Sam Darnold.
I like this signing. He’s actually been pitching better than his ERA suggests his whole career. I’m expecting an ERA around 4.45 in 2024. Last year his K% was the highest of his career but his BB% was 7.1.
I’ve said it on a few comments so far, but angels should have taken a chance on a deal with Allard …. Low risk, with marginal reward
My only opinion is and I say it every year and will again when they go to camp is you need as many arms as you can find. Pitchers are a fragile bunch. I don’t have the exact number but I think we went thru about 8 or9 starters last year. And, between that and the openers probably close to 12.
You stink, Adams. When using “and” to start a sentence, there shouldn’t be a comma after it. Take some writing classes, you hack.
I like the Allard signing, just as long as the Phillies have a few more signings/trade(s) that will occur. Id love to see them pickup Devin Williams or Clase, but would limit the offer to prospects like Griff McGarry, Bryan Rincon, & and a C prospect (Tait?)? Something like that.