{"id":2350382,"date":"2026-03-29T17:23:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T17:23:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2350382"},"modified":"2026-03-29T17:23:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T17:23:02","slug":"royals-two-time-all-star-already-facing-demotion-from-closer-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/royals-two-time-all-star-already-facing-demotion-from-closer-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Royals Two-Time All-Star Already Facing Demotion From Closer Job"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div q:key=\"QW_8\"><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6a q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>Sometimes, it only takes one slip-up when all the warning signs were already present.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6b q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6c\">Sometimes, it only takes one slip-up when all the warning signs were already present.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6d q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Est&eacute;vez led Major League Baseball with 42 saves last season. But that was strongly contingent on him throwing a consistent 95 mph, so it wasn&#39;t encouraging to see him chucking 88-90 mph throughout spring training. Then, his regular-season opener went about as poorly as anyone could have drawn it up.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6e q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6f\">Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Est\u00e9vez led Major League Baseball with 42 saves last season. But that was strongly contingent on him throwing a consistent 95 mph, so it wasn&#8217;t encouraging to see him chucking 88-90 mph throughout spring training. Then, his regular-season opener went about as poorly as anyone could have drawn it up.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6g q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>Est&eacute;vez came into a 2-0 game in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday and surrendered six runs on four hits and two walks. The night was punctuated by a walk-off grand slam from the Braves&#39; Dominic Smith on a 92.3 mph fastball in the heart of the strike zone. <\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6h q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6i\">Est\u00e9vez came into a 2-0 game in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday and surrendered six runs on four hits and two walks. The night was punctuated by a walk-off grand slam from the Braves&#8217; Dominic Smith on a 92.3 mph fastball in the heart of the strike zone. <\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6j q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p><em>If you like our content,&nbsp;<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\"><em>choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em><\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6k q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6l\"><em>If you like our content,\u00a0<\/em><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=si.com\"><em>choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6m q:key=vcaa:\n\n<h2>Royals signaling Est&eacute;vez needs time to get right <\/h2>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6n q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"inline-text-4\" class=\"scroll-mt-24 my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6o\">Royals signaling Est\u00e9vez needs time to get right <\/h2>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6p q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>After Est&eacute;vez threw 27 pitches on Saturday night and took a hard ground ball to the ankle from Michael Harris II, it seemed unlikely entering Sunday&#39;s series finale that he would pitch on back-to-back days.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6q q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6r\">After Est\u00e9vez threw 27 pitches on Saturday night and took a hard ground ball to the ankle from Michael Harris II, it seemed unlikely entering Sunday&#8217;s series finale that he would pitch on back-to-back days.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6s q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>But in saying as much, Royals manager Matt Quatraro also seemed to hint that Est&eacute;vez might not close games for Kansas City in the short term while his velocity is still down. <\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6t q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6u\">But in saying as much, Royals manager Matt Quatraro also seemed to hint that Est\u00e9vez might not close games for Kansas City in the short term while his velocity is still down. <\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6v q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>&ldquo;We would not be averse to putting him in a lower-leverage situation,&#34; Quatraro said on Sunday, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/anne__rogers\/status\/2038283581215089032\" target=\"_blank\">per Anne Rogers<\/a> of MLB.com.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6w q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-7\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6x\">\u201cWe would not be averse to putting him in a lower-leverage situation,&#8221; Quatraro said on Sunday, <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/anne__rogers\/status\/2038283581215089032\" target=\"_blank\">per Anne Rogers<\/a> of MLB.com.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=6y q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>While Sunday is just one game, Quatraro&#39;s comments could easily be taken to mean that the Royals are interested in allowing Est&eacute;vez to work out of some more favorable lanes until he looks like the guy who slammed the door for Kansas City on so many occasions last year.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=6z q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-8\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"70\">While Sunday is just one game, Quatraro&#8217;s comments could easily be taken to mean that the Royals are interested in allowing Est\u00e9vez to work out of some more favorable lanes until he looks like the guy who slammed the door for Kansas City on so many occasions last year.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=71 q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>&ldquo;I&#39;m not going to say he wouldn&#39;t do it, but I also think would be probably smarter for us to try to build him a little bit in lower leverage first,&#34; Quatraro said, per Rogers.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=72 q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"73\">\u201cI&#8217;m not going to say he wouldn&#8217;t do it, but I also think would be probably smarter for us to try to build him a little bit in lower leverage first,&#8221; Quatraro said, per Rogers.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--qv q:key=QW_6--><!--qv q:id=74 q:key=vcaa:\n\n<p>Lucas Erceg was the Royals&#39; closer for the second half of 2024 and excelled in the role, and Matt Strahm is a capable high-leverage man as well. No matter when it happens, the Royals need to see something close to the old version of Est&eacute;vez before entrusting him the ninth inning again.<\/p>\n\n--><!--qv q:id=75 q:key=lY4S:mL_1--><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"76\">Lucas Erceg was the Royals&#8217; closer for the second half of 2024 and excelled in the role, and Matt Strahm is a capable high-leverage man as well. No matter when it happens, the Royals need to see something close to the old version of Est\u00e9vez before entrusting him the ninth inning again.<\/p>\n<p><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><!--\/qv--><\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.si.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sometimes, it only takes one slip-up when all the warning signs were already present. Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Est\u00e9vez led Major League Baseball with 42 saves last season. But that was strongly contingent on him throwing a consistent 95 mph, so it wasn&#8217;t encouraging to see him chucking 88-90 mph throughout spring training. Then, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2350383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2350382","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-royalty"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Royals-Two-Time-All-Star-Already-Facing-Demotion-From-Closer-Job.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350382","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2350382"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2350384,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2350382\/revisions\/2350384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2350383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2350382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2350382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2350382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}