Philadelphia Phillies New Closer Named 'Biggest Impending Free Agent'

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to convince one of their recent additions to stay around.

Jul 24, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Los Angeles Angels relief pitcher Carlos Estevez (53) celebrates after a game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. / Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports

The Philadelphia Phillies have been the best team in baseball for much of the season. Despite some of their struggles in recent weeks, it's still safe to say that they're the favorite to win the World Series as of right now. That can always change if they don't figure things out, but this is a team that should be trusted. 

Dave Dombrowski has done an excellent job with this roster, and if things go as planned, they should be one of the better teams in the league for the next five-plus campaigns. Not only did he sign most of their top players to contracts over the past few years, but he's also done so to align with one another. A lot of their core is already locked up, which is as good of a sign as anything in the organization. 

Even if the Phillies lose this year, they can address the situation and go from there. If they have to add another bat, pitcher, or anything else, they have the prospects to do so. 

However, there are a few key players on their roster who'll hit free agency in the offseason if they don't land a new contract. One of those is recently added relief pitcher, Carlos Estevez. Philadelphia added Estevez during the trade deadline, making a smart investment in one of the best closers in baseball. 

He hits free agency in the offseason, and Will Leitch of MLB.com believes he's one of the biggest impending free agents on the market.

"Most of the Phillies’ core is locked in place for quite a few years to come. However, Estévez (their biggest Deadline addition) is one of two key pending free agents in the bullpen, along with 2024 All-Star Jeff Hoffman."

Keeping him around will likely depend on how he pitches in October. If he pitches well during the regular season, that's a good sign for the Phillies, but ultimately, he needs to be at his best when it matters most. This is a team that has one true goal, which is winning a World Series.

Everything they do in the regular season is awesome, but if it doesn't end in a World Series, the year will ultimately be viewed as a disappointment.

All indications point to him pitching well in October, but it remains to be seen if he's going to do just that. There's a reason why they went out and traded for him, as he's posted an impressive 2.09 ERA this year and hasn't allowed a run in his first four appearances for the ball club.