Estevez earned the save Monday against the Red Sox, allowing one run on two hits while recording two strikeouts.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez entered in the ninth inning and shut the door in a nail-biting finale to the series. The 30-year-old struck out Jarren Duran before giving up a run on a Rafael Devers RBI single; however, Estevez remained resilient and proceeded to strike out Rob Refsnyder before getting Masataka Yoshida to pop out to end the game. Estevez secured his second save of the season and owns a 2.57 ERA with nine strikeouts through seven innings this season.

Estevez earned the save Tuesday against the Nationals after he fired a scoreless ninth inning, allowing no hits and one walk with no strikeouts.

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander issued a one-out walk but was otherwise able to close out the save with minimal fanfare. Estevez and Jose Quijada now each have one save apiece for the Angels, with Jimmy Herget also in the mix for the closer role. Tucker Davidson also has a save this season, but he pitched four frames in that outing and should continue to serve as a long reliever.

Estevez wasn't used to close out the Angels' 4-3 win over the Mariners on Wednesday because manager Phil Nevin wanted to give him another day of rest after the reliever pitched Sunday and Monday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

Nevin instead opted for Jose Quijada, who pitched around a single to record the team's first save of the season. Even though he wasn't the one to get the save, this news should be heartening for those rostering Estevez, as it would appear he could be at the top of the Angels' bullpen pecking order. It remains a messy situation, but fantasy managers with Estevez should be hanging on to him.

Estevez tossed a scoreless inning against Oakland on Sunday, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out three batters.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez opened spring training as the possible favorite for closing opportunities this season, but he struggled mightily in Cactus League play to throw that scenario into question. The right-hander made his regular-season Angels debut Sunday, taking over in the ninth inning with Los Angeles staked to a 6-0 lead. There was both good and bad in Estevez's appearance -- he allowed back-to-back two-out baserunners but kept Oakland off the scoreboard and recorded all three outs via strikeout. It remains to be seen how manager Phil Nevin will eventually manage save situations, but Estevez should at least be among the top options to close when opportunities arise.

Angels manager Phil Nevin said Saturday that the first opportunity to close a game this season will depend on "what the game dictates," Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez appeared to be the frontrunner for closing duties early in camp, but Nevin has yet to commit to any reliever for that role. Estevez has struggled statistically this spring, though he struck out the side in a scoreless inning during his last appearance and has attributed his troubles in Cactus League play to experimenting with pitch usage. Nevin did say that Estevez "is definitely going to get some big outs late in the game most of the year," so the veteran reliever's poor numbers this spring don't seem to have shaken his manager's confidence. However, Nevin elected for a closer committee after the Angels traded Raisel Iglesias last season, thus it's not certain that he'll name a full-time closer at any point in 2023.

Estevez and the Angels aren't concerned over his poor numbers this spring, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

He has walked 10 batters in 3.2 innings and has a 19.64 ERA, but the veteran righty has been experimenting with new pitches and strategies at the expense of clean innings in exhibition play. Estevez has been working more up in the zone, because the numbers say he is harder to hit up there, and he's been working on a new changeup grip while attempting to throw a harder slider. Pitching coach Matt Wise said Estevez is trending in the right direction and manager Phil Nevin said he expects Estevez to get more consistent as the start of the season nears.

Estevez has pitched 1.2 innings over three appearances in Cactus League play thus far, allowing five runs on one hit and seven walks while striking out one batter.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez has never been a pitcher with pinpoint control, but his wildness has been particularly off-putting this spring given general manager Perry Minasian's optimism early in camp that the right-hander could win the Angels' closer job. That scenario certainly isn't off the table, but Estevez may need to put his early struggles behind him in order to earn the team's confidence. One reason for his poor numbers thus far may be a conscious attempt, at the direction of the organization, to pitch more at the top of the zone, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Estevez has at least expressed confidence in adjusting to the changes, saying Sunday, "I think I'm going to get it. I just need to face more hitters and once I'm comfortable with it, I think I'm going to be fine." Los Angeles has other options, including Jimmy Herget and Ryan Tepera, to deploy in the ninth inning of meaningful games, so Estevez is among the shakiest options for fantasy managers to target when chasing saves in their drafts.

Angels general manager Perry Minasian recently expressed optimism that Estevez will earn the team's closer role this season, though he made it clear that the decision will be made by manager Phil Nevin, Sam Blum of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez signed a two-year contract with the Angels in December after spending the first six seasons of his career with Colorado. The right-hander has racked up 25 saves in his career, with 11 coming in his rookie campaign and another 11 in 2021. Estevez doesn't have huge strikeout numbers -- he fanned less than a batter per inning in each of his past two seasons -- but he posted career-best marks with a 3.47 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 57 frames in 2022. Jimmy Herget was impressive as part of a closer committee for Los Angeles last season after Raisel Iglesias was traded in early August, and Ryan Tepera should also be in the mix for save chances. Given Minasian's comments, Estevez may have a leg up in the closer competition, but he's far from guaranteed to be handed that role and should be among the final closers to be selected in fantasy drafts.

Estevez agreed to a free-agent deal with the Angels on Monday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The hard-throwing righty logged a 3.47 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 57 innings for the Rockies in 2022. Estevez struck out less than a batter an inning and isn't a master of control, as he walked 23. Despite tallying just 13 saves between the last two seasons, he could be a top candidate to close games for Los Angeles.

Estevez (illness) was transferred to the 15-day injured list Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Estevez landed on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, but he doesn't actually have coronavirus, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. Still, the illness has affected him to the point that the Rockies decided to shut him down for the year. He'll end the season having recorded a career-best 3.47 ERA in 57 innings.