Simon enters his first season with the Ducks and 17th of professional baseball. He joins the Flock with nine season of Major League experience, including time with the Baltimore Orioles (2008-'11), Cincinnati Reds (2012-'14, '16) and Detroit Tigers (2015). The right-hander has appeared in 255 MLB games (93 starts) and has a 47-47 record with a 4.56 ERA, two complete games, 19 saves and 529 strikeouts in 775 innings. He was chosen to represent the National League at the 2014 All-Star Game in Minnesota, where he threw a scoreless inning of relief. The Dominican Republic native made 32 starts that season for the Reds and totaled a 15-10 record with a 3.44 ERA and 127 strikeouts in 196 and one-third innings.

The 36-year-old made 15 appearances (11 starts) in 2016 with the Reds and struck out 39 batters over 58 and two-thirds innings. He also made five starts with the Triple-A Louisville Bats. Simon made his Major League debut on September 6, 2008 against the Oakland Athletics, pitching one and two-thirds innings of relief. He collected his first save on April 27, 2010 against the New York Yankees and earned his first win on May 18, 2010 with one and two-thirds innings of scoreless relief against the Kansas City Royals. Simon was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1999.