According to people with knowledge of the negotiations, Robert Stephenson, a right-hander, and the Los Angeles Angels have reached an agreement on a three-year, $33 million contract. The deal also includes a conditional option that could be activated if Stephenson misses a certain amount of time due to an elbow injury, ESPN reported on Sunday night.

The greatest reliever available, who turned in a spectacular second half of the previous season to earn a deal worth $11 million annually, has been signed by the Angels. The deal is anticipated to become official on Monday once Stephenson completes a physical.

The Angels will acquire an option for the 2027 season at $2.5 million if Stephenson’s elbow requires Tommy John surgery or results in a prolonged absence due to concerns about his elbow health—he started the previous season on the injured list with elbow soreness, according to sources.

They spent big money on Stephenson’s contract, which gave him the second-highest salary of any free agency reliever this winter, only surpassed by Josh Hader’s five-year, $95 million agreement with the Angels’ American League West opponent, the Houston Astros.

With a 4.88 ERA at the end of the previous season, the Angels were sixth in all of baseball. The Angels’ bullpen was loaded with options outside of Carlos Estevez, the team’s longtime closer. Stephenson becomes the team’s fourth free agency addition, joining left-handed reliever Adam Kolarek and right-handed relievers Adam Cimber and Luis Garcia.

After the Tampa Bay Rays acquired Stephenson from the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 2, he spent the final four months as one of the best relievers in baseball. In 38⅓ innings with the Rays, Stephenson struck out 60 hitters and walked just eight, posting a 2.35 ERA in 42 games.

It was the finest phase of a career that had previously seen him pitch at a level below league average. Despite his brief flirtation with high strikeout rates, Stephenson has 312 career innings pitched at a 4.90 ERA going into 2023. The Angels, who lost star player Shohei Ohtani to free agency, will look to him to support a squad that hopes to contend even with superstar Mike Trout back and new manager Ron Washington.

The Angels could continue to add in free agency and have considered signing one of the marquee players on the free agent market — in particular, left-hander Blake Snell and first baseman/centerfielder Cody Bellinger.

Following a 73-89 finish in 2023, they would need to add talent to compete within their impressive division, which includes the reigning World Series champion Texas Rangers as well as the Astros and the Seattle Mariners, all of whom have postseason aspirations.