Allen was an immediate success for the Yankees, debuting in 1932 with a 17–4 record and a 3.70 earned run average (ERA) for the world champions.

He was less stellar in that year's World Series, starting Game 4 and leaving after giving up three runs off five hits in just 2⁄3 of an inning.

[3] Allen continued to post decent records for the Yankees, but a sore arm and his constant demands for more money threatened his career.

[2] Allen turned things around in Cleveland, going 20–10 with a 3.44 ERA in 1936 and following that up by winning his first fifteen decisions of 1937, one short of the record held by Walter Johnson.

During the All-Star break, he suffered an unknown injury, some claim he slipped on a bar of soap in the shower, and never did approach his earlier success again, finally retiring in 1944 after six mediocre campaigns.