Royals' Carlos Estevez: Clinches saves lead for season
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Estevez struck out two and hit a batter while pitching a scoreless inning to earn the save in Saturday's 4-2 win over the Athletics.
This was Estevez's 42nd save of the season, ensuring he would finish first in the majors in the category -- he's two ahead of San Diego's Robert Suarez with one day left in the campaign. Opportunities have been limited for Estevez in September, as he's collected saves in six of his seven appearances for the month. The right-handed closer is at a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 54:22 K:BB across 66 innings this year.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Secures 41st save
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Estevez allowed one hit and no walks in a scoreless frame with no strikeouts to earn the save in Saturday's 2-1 win against Toronto.
The Kansas City closer required only 13 pitches to notch his league-leading 41st save. Estevez has blown only one save in the second half -- his first appearance post-All-Star break July 18 -- as he's pitched to a 1.98 ERA, 0.71 WHIP and 17:1 K:BB in 22.2 innings while converting 15 saves since then. Overall, the 32-year-old righty sports a 2.49 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 52:22 K:BB across 65 frames.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Notches 40th save in return
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Estevez (back) picked up the save Wednesday against the Mariners, allowing one run on three hits with no strikeouts or walks in the ninth inning.
After leaving Sunday's win over Philadelphia due to mild back tightness, Estevez returned to action Wednesday but was shaky in collecting his MLB-leading 40th save. The earned run was his first allowed since Aug. 13 versus Washington, and the three hits given up were his most since July 3 in Seattle. Estevez has still produced a 2.53 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 52:22 K:BB over 64 innings, and the veteran right-hander appears to be locked in as the Royals' closer to close out his excellent campaign.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Departs with back tightness
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Estevez was removed from Sunday's win over the Phillies due to mild back tightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The veteran right-hander was called upon for the ninth inning with a five-run lead since he had pitched just once in the previous eight days, so the Royals had no reason to stick with him once the back issue surfaced. Estevez didn't seem concerned by the injury and will have a team day off Monday to aid in his recovery ahead of Tuesday's series opener versus Seattle.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Locks down 39th save
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Estevez picked up the save in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Guardians, tossing a perfect ninth inning.
Called upon in the ninth to protect a one-run lead, Estevez extended his scoreless streak to 10 appearances while converting his MLB-leading 39th save of the season. The veteran right-hander is now on the verge of becoming just the eighth Royal to ever reach the 40-save mark in a single campaign and the first since 2014. Estevez has been a model of consistency at the back end of Kansas City's bullpen, posting a 2.45 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 52:21 K:BB across 62.1 innings this year.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Collects 38th save
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Estevez picked up the save Friday against the Twins, allowing no hits and one walk with no strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
Estevez increased his MLB lead in saves with his 38th of the season, also turning in his ninth consecutive scoreless outing. The 32-year-old right-hander has been outstanding all year for the Royals, producing a 2.49 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 52:21 K:BB over 61.1 innings. Estevez has a strong grip on the closer role as the campaign nears an end.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Converts 37th save
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Estevez allowed a hit and struck out two in a scoreless inning to earn the save in Thursday's 4-3 win over the Angels.
Estevez has allowed just two hits while racking up nine strikeouts during his eight-inning scoreless streak. He's earned seven saves in that span and continues to lead the majors with 37 saves on the year. He's added a 2.54 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 52:20 K:BB through 60.1 innings this season and is unlikely to be challenged for the closing role during September.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Records save No. 36
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Estevez earned a save against the Tigers on Saturday, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.
Estevez had a two-run lead to work with when he entered in the ninth, and he worked around a one-out double to keep Detroit off the scoreboard. The veteran righty extended his scoreless streak to seven appearances and has now registered 11 consecutive successful conversions since his last blown save. With 36 total saves on the campaign, Estevez ranks first in the majors and has surpassed his previous career-high mark of 31.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Picks up 34th save
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Estevez earned the save in Sunday's 10-8 win over the Tigers, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Estevez has been perfect in five straight appearances while posting a 1.29 ERA in his last seven innings. He's up to 34 saves on the year, tied with Robert Suarez for the MLB lead, with a 2.67 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 48 strikeouts across 57.1 innings.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Up to 33 saves
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Estevez earned the save in Thursday's 6-4 win over the Rangers, striking out one in a perfect ninth inning.
Estevez has now converted eight straight save chances while allowing just four earned runs across his last 14 innings. The right-hander leads the majors with 33 saves this season while posting a 2.72 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP and 47 strikeouts across 56.1 innings.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Tagged with fifth loss
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Estevez (4-5) took the loss Wednesday, giving up one run on two hits and one walk in the ninth inning as the Royals fell 8-7 to the Nationals. He struck out one.
The Kansas City closer entered a tie game in the top of the ninth and couldn't hold the visitors at bay, serving up a one-out double to Luis Garcia and an RBI single to Daylen Lile. Estevez has 30 saves on the season, one shy of the career high he set with the Angels in 2023, but he's struggled to find consistency since the beginning of July -- over his last 17.2 innings, he's posted a 4.58 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 13:6 K:BB while blowing three of his 11 save chances.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Picks up 28th save
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Estevez earned the save Tuesday against Atlanta, allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning to secure a 9-6 win.
Estevez was called upon to protect a three-run lead and handled the task with ease, working around a two-out single by Ozzie Albies to record his 28th save of the season. The right-hander sits tied for second in MLB in saves alongside Josh Hader. Estevez now holds a 2.56 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 37:16 K:BB across 45.2 innings in 2025.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Earns one-out save
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Estevez recorded one out and earned a save against the Marlins on Sunday.
The Royals were up 7-0 in the ninth inning before Andrew Hoffmann coughed up four runs, creating a save opportunity for Estevez. Estevez gave up an infield single before finishing off the victory to earn his 26th save of the year. He blew three straight save chances before converting Sunday, and he's now 26-for-32 in save opportunities this season. Estevez owns a 2.74 ERA with a 35:15 K:BB across 42.2 frames.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Blows another save
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Estevez (4-3) took the loss and blew a save, allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits with no walks or strikeouts, during Friday's 8-7 loss to the Marlins.
Handed a two-run lead in the 10th inning, Estevez could not hold it and allowed three runs in an extra-inning, walkoff defeat. A two-run home run that concluded a monster day from Kyle Stowers was the death blow and sealed the third straight blown save from the Royals closer. The 32-year-old has gone seven straight appearances allowing at least one baserunner, dating back to July 2.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Blows save, earns win
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Estevez (4-2) allowed two runs on two hits over one inning Sunday, earning the win against the Mets but also being charged with a blown save.
Estevez blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning but earned his fourth win of the season after Nick Loftin's walk-off single. Estevez had converted eight straight save chances before the weekend series against the Mets, where he was charged with a blown save in each of his two appearances. Despite that, he owns an impressive 2.36 ERA and a 35:15 K:BB across 42 innings while securing 25 saves in 30 chances.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Earns third win
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Estevez (3-2) earned a win against Pittsburgh on Tuesday. He allowed a hit in a scoreless inning and did not record a strikeout.
Estevez worked around a one-out double by Ke'Bryan Hayes to keep the score 3-3 before the Royals walked it off in the bottom of the ninth inning. It was Estevez's first win since May 25, and he has thrown two shutout frames since allowing a run against Seattle on July 3. He dropped his ERA to 2.67 with a 32:14 K:BB across 39 frames.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Collects 21st save
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Estevez earned the save in Thursday's 4-1 win over the Rangers after recording no strikeouts in a perfect ninth inning.
For the second night in a row, Estevez was brought in for the ninth to protect a three-run lead, and he needed only 11 pitches (seven strikes) to retire the side. He has converted 16 of his last 17 save opportunities, and his 21 saves is tied with Robert Suarez for most in the majors. Estevez sports a 1.93 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 28:14 K:BB across 32.2 innings this season.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Bounces back in nightcap
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Estevez pitched a perfect inning and struck out one to earn the save in a 7-5 win over the Cardinals in Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader.
Estevez pitched in the day game as well, blowing a save and taking a loss in the 10th inning, but he threw just 10 pitches in that contest. That left him fresh enough to protect a two-run lead in the nightcap, and he was able to get the job done this time to earn his 18th save in 21 chances this season. He has a 1.95 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 26:12 K:BB across 27.2 innings while going relatively unchallenged as the Royals' closer.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Collects 12th save
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Estevez secured the save in Monday's 7-5 victory over Houston, allowing one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning with one strikeout.
After conceding a leadoff single to Jose Altuve in the ninth, Estevez cleanly retired the next three batters to bag his 94th career save. The 32-year-old has converted his last seven save opportunities, cementing him as the Kansas City closer. Overall, Estevez has pitched to a 2.37 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 17:9 K:BB across 19 innings.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Secures 10th save
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Estevez collected the save in Monday's 3-0 win against the White Sox, allowing one hit and no walks over a scoreless inning with no strikeouts.
The Kansas City closer required only eight pitches, seven of which were strikes, to retire the side and lock down the Royals' 20th win. Since his last blown save April 22 against Colorado, Estevez has made five consecutive scoreless appearances over which he's bagged five saves. Through 16 innings, he has pitched to a 2.25 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 13:9 K:BB while not allowing a home run.
