Knebel was cut loose earlier this month by the White Sox and will continue to attempt to make it back to the big leagues for the first time since the 2022 season when he made 46 relief appearances for the Phillies. The 32-year-old former closer has 72 saves over 312 appearances in the majors dating back to 2014. Given the state of the Angels’ bullpen, there’s a high degree of probability he gets a look in the coming weeks.

Knebel signed a minor league pact with Chicago back in mid-February and never wound up making it back to the majors. Fastball velocity was an issue for the 32-year-old righty in recent outings with Triple-A Charlotte and there wasn’t much of a path back to the big leagues with the rebuilding White Sox.

Knebel previously gave up seven earned runs in two innings for Single-A Winston-Salem. Unfortunately, his hardest pitch last night was just 91.1 mph, which is about six mph off his average from his best season in 2017 and 4.6 mph down from his average in 2022, before he suffered a torn shoulder capsule that cost him a year and a half.

Knebel decided not to sign with a team last year while rehabbing the torn shoulder capsule he suffered in Aug. 2022. The 32-year-old has typically been effective while healthy — he has a 3.26 ERA and 72 saves in 312 career appearances — but he’s pitched a total of 83 2/3 innings in the majors over the last five years. If he returns this spring with his stuff intact, he’ll be a big-time sleeper for saves. At this point, though, he has to be considered quite a long shot.