Cleveland Guardians sign former Los Angeles Angels reliever

The Cleveland Guardians are in position to improve their bullpen this offseason after the departure of closer Emmanuel Clase during the MLB's gambling investigation.

According to The Athletic insider Ken Rosenthal, the Guardians are signing former Angels relief pitcher Connor Brogdon.

Free-agent right-hander Connor Brogdon in agreement on major-league contract with Guardians, source tells @TheAthletic
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 3, 2025

Connor Brogdon goes to Guardians

Brogdon is hoping to bounce back with the Guardians after a subpar season with the Angels.

"Brogdon signed a minor league contract with the Angels in the offseason, and spent the beginning of the season with Triple-A Salt Lake. The Angels called up the 30-year-old towards the beginning of May, however he struggled in MLB with the Halos," Los Angeles Angels On SI contributor Aaron Coloma wrote.

"He posted a 5.30 ERA through 37 appearances with the Angels before being sent outright to Triple-A and electing free agency. He came back on a minor league contract a week later, and came back up to the major leagues in the middle of September. In his final six games this season, he had a 6.52 ERA through 9.2 innings pitched. He struck out 16 batters in that time."

Brogdon, 30, was a 40th round pick in the 2013 MLB Draft out of high school. However, he didn't sign with the Atlanta Braves. Instead, he attended Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho and improved enough to become a 10th round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Brogdon spent three years in the Phillies farm system before being called up in 2020. He was with the Major League club until the beginning of the 2024 season, when he was designated for assignment and traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Brogdon suffered a foot injury with the Dodgers and only made one appearance for them. He was taken off the 40-man roster at the end of the season and elected free agency.

That led Brogdon to the Angels, where he was able to get some innings, but struggled to get back to his former self. Brogdon was a reliable arm for the Phillies in their 2022 postseason run that led them all the way to the World Series, where they lost to the Houston Astros.

Brogdon is looking to get back to that version of himself. Perhaps a move to the Guardians is what he needs to save his career. Brogdon isn't guaranteed a solidified role in the bullpen, but he will have a chance to earn one in spring training this March.