The Kansas City Royals are facing a bit of a bullpen shake-up as they've placed their closer, Carlos Estevez, on the 15-day injured list due to a left foot contusion. This move is retroactive to March 29, after Estevez took a 103.5 mph comebacker from Michael Harris II just below the ankle in his season debut against the Atlanta Braves.
Even though the X-rays were negative, Estevez is dealing with enough discomfort to warrant a walking boot, especially when trying to throw beyond 60 feet. His outing was a rough one, where he managed just one out, giving up six runs on three hits and two walks.
The game ended with a walk-off grand slam by Dominic Smith, sealing a 6-2 loss for the Royals. Estevez's control was off, with only 12 strikes from 27 pitches and just one swing and miss.
Adding to the concern is a noticeable dip in velocity. Estevez, who used to light up the radar gun with fastballs averaging nearly 97 mph in 2024 and around 96 mph in 2025, saw his speed drop below 90 mph during spring training.
In this season's sole appearance, his fastball averaged 91.2 mph, a significant drop from last year's average. This decline in velocity has been an ongoing issue, affecting his strikeout rate last season as well.
Estevez is coming off a fantastic 2025 season, where he posted a 2.45 ERA and led the league with 42 saves, earning himself an All-Star nod. The time on the IL should help him recover physically and work on mechanical tweaks. He'll be doing light throwing and focusing on his delivery and tempo, with a minor-league rehab stint likely on the horizon.
To fill the gap, the Royals have called up right-hander Steven Cruz from Triple-A Omaha. Cruz, 26, brings a fastball averaging around 98 mph and posted a 3.74 ERA with 38 strikeouts over 45.2 innings last season. He did allow two runs in a recent Triple-A outing, but his power arm will be a welcome addition.
In Estevez's absence, Lucas Erceg is expected to take on most of the save opportunities, with John Schreiber and Matt Strahm stepping up in high-leverage situations. Estevez could be back in action as soon as April 14, if all goes well.