The Philadelphia Phillies’ bullpen has already changed a fair amount this offseason. Wednesday, the transformation continued when their All-Star closer agreed to terms on a new contract with the Kansas City Royals. Estevez, 32, was one of the top relief pitchers on the free agent market following a 26-save 2024 season for the Phillies and Los Angeles Angels. More news: Phillies, Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays Have Interest in Free Agent Closer: Reports Now Estevez will return to the American League, to a Kansas City team that reached the AL Division Series in a bounceback 2024 season. According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Estevez’s contract is for two years with a team option for 2027. Jon Heyman of the New York Post was first to report the agreement on Twitter/X. Financial terms are not yet known.
More news: Former Dodgers Pitcher Announces Retirement Heyman reported earlier this month that a “half dozen teams” had interest in the right-hander, an All-Star for the first time with the Angels in 2023. Estevez signed a two-year contract with the Angels in Dec. 2022 for a relatively inexpensive $13.5 million contract. Now that he has demonstrated experience closing in the heat of a playoff race, Estevez figured to command a higher salary in his next deal.
More news: Ex-Phillies Infielder: New Coaches Put Him ‘In a Tough Position to Succeed’ The Phillies were unlikely to bring back both Jeff Hoffman and Estevez, their primary closers last year. In the end, they kept neither. Hoffman signed a free agent contract with the Toronto Blue Jays earlier this month. Estevez, who turned 32 in December, is 27-31 in 438 career games, in a career that began in 2016 with the Colorado Rockies. The native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic thrived in his first full-time closing role in Los Angeles, logging 51 saves in 98 appearances for the Angels from 2022-23.
