The Phillies sign Angels closer Carlos Estevez for two potential players
After the Phillies acquired outfielder Austin Hays from the Orioles early on Friday afternoon, their focus switched to the bullpen, and they have now checked off a box for the second straight day.
Right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez was acquired by the Phillies on Saturday from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitching prospects George Klassen and Sam Aldegheri.
The 6-foot-6, 31-year-old Estevez was the Angels’ closer for the previous two seasons. After making 34 appearances this season, he has a 2.38 ERA and has been dominant since the week of Memorial Day. He has retired 53 of the past 58 batters he has faced and produced 18 straight shutout appearances.
The Phillies are renting him since he will be a free agent at the end of the season. If his pitching is strong, they might try to keep him on staff. At season’s conclusion, Jeff Hoffman will be a free agent, and Orion Kerkering is the only other obvious long-term right-hand pitcher in the Phillies’ pen.
A typical Estevez fastball reaches 97 mph. When facing righties, he uses a fastball-slider combination; when facing lefties, he uses a changeup one out of every four deliveries. He played with the Rockies for the first six seasons of his career until settling into a comfortable role as an Angels high-leverage reliever last summer. He was a 2023 All-Star, just like Hays.
