Insider Predicts Future of Philadelphia Phillies Bullpen Pieces in Free Agency

The Philadelphia Phillies could lose their top two relievers this winter in MLB free agency.

Jul 10, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs (21) and pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) celebrate win against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citizens Bank Park. / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies have two of the top relievers in Major League Baseball on the open market this winter. With all the talent on this roster, it was only a matter of time before they might eventually lose a guy or two.

For Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez, that could be as early as this winter.

Hoffman, who's been with the team longer than Estevez, is expected to get a cheaper deal than the player the Phillies traded for at the deadline.

Losing both of them would be a tough outcome for Philadelphia, but as of now, it seems like a real possibility. The front office is expected to do what they can to replace them if they are to leave, but the reality is that both could be on their way out.

Regarding Hoffman, it's uncertain what type of deal he's looking for since he struggled some in the second half and didn't look like himself in the postseason.

While the Phillies didn't play well in October, he could've been better, and teams might hold it against him.

Despite his rough showing in the playoffs, Jeff Passan of ESPN believes he did enough for a club to give him a three-year deal.

"Jeff Hoffman, right-handed reliever: The former No. 9 draft pick found the best in himself after turning 30, and his fastball-slider-splitter combination led to 89 strikeouts in 66⅓ innings. Even after a bad postseason, Hoffman made enough of an impression to warrant at least a three-year deal."

The length of the deal isn't too important in this scenario. Philadelphia would have to determine whether the AAV is worth handing out.

Estevez is a strange scenario.

At the deadline, one could've argued that he was clearly the second-best reliever traded, however, in free agency, he's flying a bit under the radar. Nonetheless, he's still in a good position to get paid.

Passan outlined what he could bring to a team in the future.

"Carlos Estevez, right-handed reliever: After escaping Colorado in 2022, Estevez was an All-Star in 2023 and has saved 57 games over the past two years. He can close or play a multipurpose high-leverage role."

Elite relievers aren't easy to keep around.

Given their success late in games, many contenders around the league will likely call Estevez and Hoffman to see what they're looking for.

They're valuable assets to have, and if at least one returns, that'd be a good thing for the Phillies.