Phillies Reunion With Talented Closer from AL Central Could Make Sense

As the Philadelphia Phillies continue to battle for first place in the National League East, the team is going to be focused on improving over the next week.

While it has been a solid start to the season for the Phillies, there is still room for improvement as the team hopes to be a contender in the NL.

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So far, Philadelphia has relied a lot on their starting rotation to carry them, and the unit has exceeded expectations. Despite dealing with some injuries to the unit, they have had some players step up and provide them with some excellent performances.

The rotation has been able to help make up for the lineup being inconsistent at times and the bullpen being below average.

If the Phillies are going to make a run in October, they are going to have to make some improvements to both of these areas. However, the more pressing need for them will be to address the bullpen.

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently wrote about a potential reunion for the Phillies and closer Carlos Estevez of the Kansas City Royals as a potential blueprint for success at the trade deadline.

“And while most of the focus there has been on starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Kris Bubic, the Royals have a quintet of relievers with at least 38 innings of work and a sub-3.00 ERA, including closer and Philadelphia reunion candidate RHP Carlos Estévez.”

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While hindsight is always 20/20, Philadelphia would have likely been a much better position this year if they had chosen to sign either Estevez or Jeff Hoffman over Jordan Romano.

The veteran right-hander has been a massive disappointment for the franchise and is a major reason why they need to address the bullpen still.

If the Phillies were to trade for Estevez, it would be the second straight summer in which they would be doing so. Last campaign, the right-hander was solid for Philadelphia, totaling a 2.57 ERA and six saves.

In his first year with the Royals, he has been quite good as their full-time closer, saving 26 games to go along with a 2.74 ERA.

With a desperate need for a closer at the trade deadline, pursuing Estevez could make sense for Philadelphia, despite letting him walk in free agency.

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The right-hander pitched well for the Phillies in the second half of last year, and a reunion could help fill a void in the bullpen. With the Royals seemingly out of it this campaign, moving Estevez’s contract and likely getting some decent return makes a lot of sense for them as well.

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