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Toronto Blue Jays Reportedly Expressing Interest in All-Star Closer

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays are one of several teams interested in free agent closer Carlos Estevez. He made the All-Star Game back in 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels.

Brady Farkas

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Carlos Estevez (53) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park in 2024.
Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Carlos Estevez (53) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the ninth inning at Citizens Bank Park in 2024. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
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According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Toronto Blue Jays are one of six teams that are interested in signing free agent closer Carlos Estevez.

The interest makes perfect sense considering the Blue Jays lost longtime closer Jordan Romano this offseason. Furthermore, with Romano injured most of last season, the Jays featured a porous bullpen that they are trying to rebuild. They've brought back Yimi Garcia in free agency and will pair him with Erik Swanson and Chad Green. Estevez would be a nice piece to help solidify the back-end for John Schneider's team. There's also a chance that Yariel Rodriguez could move from the rotation to the bullpen, which would help as well.

The 32-year-old Estevez is a former All-Star who represented the Los Angeles Angels at the Midsummer Classic in 2023. Lifetime, he's 27-31 with a 4.21 ERA, though he did spend six years pitching at Coors Field for the Colorado Rockies. He joined the Angels in 2023 and was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2024, joining them for the playoff run. Philadelphia was eliminated in the NLDS and ironically enough, that's where Romano signed this offseason.

The Blue Jays are coming off a year in which they finished 74-88 and were in last place in the American League East. Toronto made the playoffs in 2020, 2022 and 2023 but hasn't won a playoff game since 2016.

They also haven't won a World Series since 1993, so the fanbase is growing increasingly restless over a generally inactive offseason.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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