MLB rumors: Yankees target Carlos Estévez as bullpen help, Royals cross starting pitching off to-do list

The 2024-25 MLB offseason is just about two weeks old and we’re still waiting for the first significant free-agent signing, which is not unusual in mid-November. Like the regular season, baseball free agency is a marathon, not a sprint. Things will pick up soon enough. Here now are Sunday’s hot stove rumors.

Yankees interested in Estévez

Righty Carlos Estévez is among the free-agent relievers drawing interest from the Yankees, reports MLB.com. New York could lose key setup men Tim Hill, Clay Holmes, and Tommy Kahnle to free agency this winter. They picked up closer Luke Weaver’s club option soon after the World Series, and now they must strengthen the bullpen around him.

Estévez, 32 next month, split this past season with the Angels and Phillies after being traded at the deadline. He managed a 2.45 ERA while striking out 23.6% of batters faced, which is almost perfectly league average for a reliever. A year ago, Estévez fanned 27.8% of batters faced with the Halos. Our R.J. Anderson ranked Estévez the 34th-best free agent available this winter.

Royals no longer focused on rotation

After signing Michael Wacha to a new three-year contract, the Royals are no longer focused on improving their rotation, and will now shift their attention to other parts of the roster, general manager J.J. Picollo told reporters at the GM Meetings. “We don’t expect to be in the market for a starter moving forward. We’re going to focus on some other things,” Picollo said, presumably referring to the offense and bullpen.

Wacha will rejoin Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans in the rotation with Alec Marsh, Brady Singer, and possibly Kyle Wright also in the mix. Wright missed 2024 with shoulder surgery. Like every other team, Kansas City could use more bullpen help, and they could also use outfield upgrades too. The Royals ranked 19th in on-base percentage in 2024. That figures to be an area of emphasis.

Curvelo nearing deal with Rangers

Righty Luis Curvelo, one of the offseason’s top minor-league free agents, is nearing a major-league contract with the Rangers, according to MLB.com. The Mariners declined to put Curvelo on their 40-man roster after the World Series, allowing him to become a free agent and sign with any team. A major-league deal means Texas will put him on their 40-man roster.

Curvelo turned only 24 in October, which is unusually young for a quality minor league free agent. In 2024, he had a 2.57 ERA in 66 ⅔ Double-A relief innings while striking out 30.6% of the batters he faced. Curvelo will compete for a spot in the Rangers’ bullpen in spring training, and even if he doesn’t win a job, he’ll go to Triple-A and serve as a depth option throughout the summer.