The New York Yankees are steaming toward the July 31 trade deadline with several glaring needs. While the bullpen, with the resurgence of closer Devin Williams in June and into July after a dismal start, may not appear to be the area most desperately in need of an upgrade, some recent injuries â as well as the pronounced struggles of former closer Luke Weaver since he returned from a hamstring pull â mean that general manager Brian Cashman would be remiss to ignore the ‘pen at the trade deadline.
The Bronx Bombers have been linked to some big names in the relief pitcher trade market, most notably Pittsburgh Pirates closer David Bednar, as well as Minnesota Twins fireballer Jhoan Duran.
But on Friday, one Yankees analyst proposed an acquisition that would make an “intriguing wild card” for Cashman to pursue. That pitcher is the current American League leader in saves, Carlos Estévez.
The 32-year-old native of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic is currently tied at 25 saves with Houston Astros bullpen ace Josh Hader. Estévez is having a career year after signing a two-year, $20.2 million contract as a free agent with the Kansas City Royals.
The contract comes with a $13 million club option for 2027, bringing the full potential value of the deal to $33.2 million for the nine-year veteran now pitching for his fourth team.
Royals Quickly Falling Out of Contention
The Royals got off to what appeared to be a strong start that would lead to a contending season, after making the playoffs in 2024 for the first time since they won the World Series in 2015. That championship was the second since the Royals were founded as an AL expansion team in 1969.
But since peaking at just 2 1/2 games off the AL Central pace on May 12, the Royals have swooned, winning just 22 of 50 games, now sitting an apparently hopeless 12 games behind the juggernaut Detroit Tigers.
The Royals are also 4 1/2 games out of the third and final AL Wild Card spot.
So the possibility appears strong that the Royals will be “sellers” in the trade market as the deadline of July 31 fast approaches.
“The Royalsâ closer represents the most intriguing wild card in the Yankeesâ pursuit,” wrote Pinstripes Nation analyst Esteban Quiñones on Friday.
Estévez averages 95.4 miles per hour on his four-seam fastball, according to Statcast. Essentially a three-pitch pitcher, he uses the fastball for 51 percent of his pitches, followed by the slider at 33 percent and is changeup just 16 percent of the time.
Estévez a Financially Sensible Option for New York
“For the Yankees, Estévez offers immediate closer experience with proven postseason credentials,” Quiñones continued. “His contract runs through 2026 with a club option for 2027, providing both short-term impact and medium-term stability. The financial commitment ($11 million annually) fits comfortably within the Yankeesâ luxury tax considerations.”
The analyst lists “experience and financial predictability” as the main virtues of an Estévez acquisition. The price, according to Quiñones, would no more than “moderate prospects.”
Quiñones does not specify what he means by “moderate” when it comes to Yankees prospects. But if the organization’s top five are off the table, a combination of top 10 and No. 11 through No. 20 could fit the bill. A package highlighted by righty pitcher Elmer Rodriguez-Cruz, the Yankees’ No. 6 ranked prospect overall, and two lower-ranked minor leaguers may be enough to tempt Kansas City into parting with their hard-throwing closer.
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