Former Philadelphia Phillies Star Reliever Garnering Free Agent Interest From Reds

A former Philadelphia Phillies relief pitcher could soon find a new home after seeing strong interest from the Cincinnati Reds.

Aug 31, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Carlos Estévez (53) reacts after getting the final out during the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies bullpen has been a unit of strength for a few seasons now and plenty of power arms and talented relief pitchers have either been developed in this system or have come into the organization and played a pivotal role during this current run of success.

One of those pitchers is Carlos Estévez who made his way to the Phillies at last season's MLB trade deadline from the Los Angeles Angels. While the American League West team was selling off any type of tradable asset, Philadelphia wanted to make one last addition to bolster its bullpen ahead of a postseason run.

Estévez saw a bit of a decline in the second half of the season after arriving in Philadelphia but he was still a very solid backend option compiling a 2.57 ERA with a 1.190 WHIP in 21.0 innings pitched with the Phillies.

While the relief pitching market has been relatively cold this winter, things may just start to heat up with multiple backend and closing options remaining on the free agent market. One of those options is Estévez.

According to the New York Post, both the Cincinnati Reds and the Toronto Blue Jays are interested in the relief pitcher.

Estévez should be one of the relievers on the market that could demand either a multi-year deal or a contract north of $10 million AAV, potentially even both.

The Phillies are still looking to add to their roster, potentially even upgrading the bullpen ahead of MLB Spring Training. Estévez is an option that Philadelphia should keep in mind as he has shown he can stay healthy and is a reliable option in late game scenarios.

There is also plenty of familiarity between the two parties and the Phillies represent a win-now chance for the pitcher. However, it appears that as January winds on, the relief market may get hot and bidding wars are sure to ensue.