The St. Louis Cardinals have reached a two-year, $22 million agreement with reliever Carlos Estévez, adding another potential closer to their roster alongside Lucas Erceg, according to a source familiar with the deal who spoke on Wednesday night.
The contract includes a $13 million option with a $2 million buyout. The deal is pending a physical, and the Cardinals will need to make room for Estévez on the 40-man roster once that’s completed.
Estévez, 32, pitched in 54 games for the Angels and Phillies last season, finishing with a strong 2.45 ERA. He saved 20 games for the Angels and six for the Phillies, helping the Phillies win the NL East. However, he allowed a crucial home run against the Mets in Game 4 of the National League Division Series. Despite this setback, Estévez remains a reliable late-inning option. Two years ago, while with the Angels, Estévez made the All-Star team, posting a 3.90 ERA and going 5-5 across 63 appearances.
St. Louis acquired Erceg from the Athletics last season in a trade aimed at bolstering the bullpen as they pushed for a wild-card spot. Erceg performed well through the end of the season and into the postseason, stabilizing what had been a weak bullpen. Now, with Estévez joining the team, they will form a strong one-two punch in the late innings for the Cardinals.
In addition to Erceg and Estévez, the Cardinals will bring back several key bullpen arms from last season, including Giovanny Gallegos, Ryan Helsley, and Zack Thompson. The team is also hopeful that Drew VerHagen can contribute more after struggling in previous seasons. With Estévez now added to the mix, St. Louis appears to have one of the deeper and more reliable bullpens in the National League.
The Cardinals are also working on solidifying their starting rotation. They return veterans like Adam Wainwright and Jack Flaherty, and have added free agent Michael Wacha and re-signed veteran Miles Mikolas to add stability. The team hopes that Flaherty, who has battled injuries in recent years, can return to form and provide a strong presence in the rotation.
The starting rotation competition will also likely involve younger arms like Jordan Hicks, who could be a candidate for both a starting spot or bullpen duty. The Cardinals are counting on these pitchers to provide depth as they aim to return to playoff contention.
With the addition of Estévez to the bullpen and a revamped rotation, the Cardinals look poised to be more competitive in 2025. The team’s strategy is clear: improve the pitching staff to complement their high-powered offense, setting them up for a possible playoff push in the coming season.