The free agent market for relief pitchers is heating up, with Carlos Estevez attracting interest from several teams, including the Philadelphia Phillies and three American League East teams. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, “half a dozen teams,” including the Toronto Blue Jays, have shown interest in Estevez. The other teams, identified by Hector Gomez of Z101 Digital, are the Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees.
Estevez, who split last season between the Los Angeles Angels and the Phillies, had a stellar performance with 26 saves and a 2.45 ERA in 54 appearances. Over the past two seasons, he has struck out 128 batters in 117.1 innings, posting a combined 3.22 ERA and 57 saves.
After the Angels traded him to the Phillies last July when their playoff hopes faltered, Estevez had not allowed an earned run in nearly two months. Having signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract with the Angels in December 2022, Estevez is expected to command a higher salary for his next deal, given his experience closing games in a playoff race.
Carlos Estevez is expected to be one of the most sought-after relievers in a free-agent market that also features prominent right-handers such as Kenley Jansen, Craig Kimbrel, Kirby Yates, and Jeff Hoffman, as well as left-hander Tanner Scott. With the market for relievers intensifying, teams are actively exploring options. For example, earlier on Tuesday, Will Sammon of The Athletic reported that the New York Mets met with Tanner Scott.
The Philadelphia Phillies are unlikely to re-sign both Jeff Hoffman, who may be considered for a return to a starting role, and Carlos Estevez as they look to bounce back from their Division Series exit in 2024. Meanwhile, the New York Yankees (Clay Holmes) and Toronto Blue Jays (Jordan Romano) have seen key bullpen pieces change teams this offseason. The Boston Red Sox, who got 27 saves from Kenley Jansen in 54 appearances last season, are also hoping to secure a postseason spot after missing the last two years.
Carlos Estevez, who turned 32 in December, has a career record of 27-31 in 438 games, starting his career in 2016 with the Colorado Rockies. The Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic native earned his first All-Star selection in 2023 while playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
