Why so many good teams have closer issues -- and h...
Key takeaways
- "It's been a crazy first part of the year already, snowballing everything," Estevez said Sunday, standing at his locker.
- I'll be back, right on time, ready for the playoff hunt."
- With Estevez out, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to Lucas Erceg, who has been excellent, stabilizing the Kansas City bullpen and allowing just two hits and no earned runs over his past eight outings;
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The Royals, here bringing in reliever Daniel Lynch IV, are one of many MLB teams dealing with bullpen issues, especially with their closer, this season. Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire Buster Olney May 12, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose Senior writer ESPN Magazine/ESPN.com Analyst/reporter ESPN television Author of "The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty"Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions Carlos Estevez led the majors in saves last year, earning a spot on the American League All-Star team and making him seemingly a lock to nail down games for the Kansas City Royals this season. But his velocity tanked this spring, and then he got hit by a batted ball. While working his way back last month, he got hurt again, suffering a strained rotator cuff last week.
"It's been a crazy first part of the year already, snowballing everything," Estevez said Sunday, standing at his locker. "It sucks. I'm not going to tell you I'm not mad. But it happens."
Estevez won't throw for three more weeks, and then he's hoping to start working his way back -- and given the volatility of bullpens around the game, it's possible that he'll get another chance to close games later this year. "I have hope," he said. "I'll be fine. I just have to keep working. I'll be back, right on time, ready for the playoff hunt."