Angels Trade Closer Carlos Estévez to NL East Team For Significant Prospect Haul
The Los Angeles Angels and Philadelphia Phillies are reportedly in agreement to send Carlos Estévez to the East Coast. This is the big domino to fall before Tuesday's trade deadline.
The Angels receive top pitching prospects George Klassen and Samuel Aldegheri in exchange for Estévez.
The 31-year-old closer immediately joins a World Series contender. Philadelphia owns a 64-39 record and has a comfortable nine-game lead in the National League East.
Estévez is also set to hit free agency after this season but has had a career year himself. He has appeared in 34 games and has a 2.38 ERA with an even more impressive 0.73 WHIP.
The closer doesn't have electric stuff but he can get outs. His strikeouts per nine innings are lower in 2024 than they have been in any other season in his major-league career, but opponents are batting a combined .169 against him.
For the Angels, this trade couldn't be any better. Both prospects are ranked in the top 10 of the Phillies' most recent top prospect list, according to Baseball America.
Klassen is ranked No. 5 and Aldegheri is No. 7. Per MLB Pipeline, they rank as the Phillies' No. 23 and No. 28 prospects.
Klassen is a promising right-handed pitcher who has shown significant improvement in the minors this season, making him an attractive trade asset. He has a 1.97 ERA this season and has recorded 89 strikeouts in 59.1 innings pitched across Single-A and High-A.
Aldegheri would be the first Italian-born-and-raised pitcher to reach the big leagues if his dream becomes a reality.
The move comes one day after the Phillies acquired outfielder Austin Hays from the Baltimore Orioles for relief pitcher Seranthony Dominguez and outfielder Cristian Pache.