The Phillies’ front office turned its attention to the bullpen after acquiring outfielder Austin Hays from the Orioles early Friday afternoon, and for the second day in a row, they ticked off a box.
On Saturday, the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to trade right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez to the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for pitching prospects George Klassen and Sam Aldegheri.
Estevez is a 6-foot-6, 31-year-old closer who has spent the previous two seasons with the Angels. He has a 2.38 ERA in 34 outings this season and has been lights-out since Memorial Day, going 18 consecutive scoreless innings and retiring 53 of the past 58 batters he has faced.
He is a free agent after the season, therefore the Phillies are acquiring him on a rental basis. If he pitches effectively, they may consider retaining him. Jeff Hoffman will be a free agent at the end of the season, leaving Orion Kerkering as the Phillies’ only clear long-term right-handed reliever in the bullpen.
Estevez’s fastball averages 97 mph. He uses a fastball-slider combination against righties and a changeup once in every four pitches against lefties. He spent the first six seasons of his career with the Rockies before settling into a role as a high-leverage reliever for the Angels last summer. Like Hays, he was a 2023 All-Star.
Estevez’s worst performance of the year occurred against the Phillies in Anaheim on April 30, when he gave up ninth-inning home runs to Nick Castellanos and Johan Rojas. Aside from that game, he has only allowed six earned runs this season.
Klassen and Aldegheri, the Phillies’ traded pitchers, are both 22 and in the midst of breakout minor-league seasons. Klassen’s 0.71 ERA in nine starts with Class A Clearwater earned him a promotion to High A Jersey Shore. Aldegheri was promoted to Double A Reading after going 6-5 with a 3.18 ERA in 13 starts for Jersey Shore.
