With the winter meetings just around the corner, several teams are trying to shore up their rosters to come into the Nashville meetings with a clear plan. News broke this morning that the Yankees are nearing an agreement with left-hander Andy Pettitte, and now the Los Angeles Angels are reportedly close to a one-year deal with free-agent right-hander Ryan Madson, per CBS Sports.
Angels, Ryan Madson closing in on 1-year deal
Christian Petersen
After a stellar 2011 season as the Phillies’ closer -- posting a 2.37 ERA and racking up 32 saves -- Madson sat on the sideline all of last year with the Reds while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander only has one full season under his belt as a closer, but has a 2.78 earned run average and 9.6 strikeouts per nine over his last three healthy seasons.
The deal is believed to be for one season guaranteed, but may include options for further years. CBS reports that the 32-year-old Madson will be the Halos’ new closer, pushing right-hander Ernesto Frieri into a setup role. Frieri found success in his inaugural year as an Angels closer in 2012, but the team still managed to lead the league in blown saves.
The addition of Madson would significantly bolster the back-end of the Angels' bullpen, giving them Frieri, Scott Downs, Jordan Walden and Kevin Jepsen as late-inning options.
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