Royals Acquire Ex-Phillies, Angels All-Star Closer Carlos Estévez: Report

The hot stove had cooled off drastically for the Kansas City Royals in late January, but out of nowhere, a flame sparked.

Adding a high-leverage reliever was a primary free-agency goal for this Kansas City team. The Royals made it to the American League Division Series in 2024 despite a fairly slipshod bullpen, which was aided in the postseason by converted starters Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen.

The trade with the Athletics that landed Lucas Erceg saved the Royals, as Erceg did a fantastic job in the closer role down the stretch. But Erceg still has less than half a season of closing experience, and the team still didn't have many trustworthy high-leverage relievers in front of him.

On Wednesday, the Royals shored up their bullpen in a major way.

Kansas City is reportedly in agreement with 2023 AL All-Star Carlos Estévez, the closer for the Philadelphia Phillies in last year's postseason after arriving via trade from the Los Angeles Angels. At the time of publication, the length and value of the contract are not yet known.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post was the first to break the news of Estévez's deal via X (formerly Twitter).

In 2024, Estévez pitched to a 2.45 ERA in 55 innings split between Philadelphia and Los Angeles, racking up 50 strikeouts. He is 82 for 113 lifetime in save opportunities, including 26 for 31 last season.

Though the Royals have not yet addressed Estévez's role, it would seem likely that he will get the first crack at the ninth inning, due to his experience, with Erceg taking over the eighth. Kansas City also has Angel Zerpa, Hunter Harvey, Carlos Hernández and John Schreiber in the mix for late-inning relief work.

Lengthening the bullpen is always a desirable outcome, and the Royals achieved that on Wednesday night. It's becoming a more well-rounded team as the season approaches, and that should make the rest of the AL Central very nervous.

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