Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez recorded his 40th save of the season Wednesday night against the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium.
In his first season with KC, the milestone solidifies his place in franchise history.
Estévez is just the fifth Royals pitcher to reach the 40-save plateau. The right-hander joins an exclusive list that includes Greg Holland (twice), Jeff Montgomery, Dan Quisenberry (twice) and Joakim Soria (twice).
“I knew there were some great names up there,” Estévez said. “But man, only five guys, that’s really cool to be on that list.”
Estévez was a top addition for the Royals. He signed late in the offseason and worked his way into a premier bullpen role. He made the All-Star team this year and currently leads baseball in saves.
Holland holds the club record for most in a season, with 47 (2013). The 2025 Royals have 10 games left and Estévez could further climb the all-time leaderboard.
“Whenever I saw it get to 18-20 (saves) pretty quick, I thought I might have a good shot at 40,” he said. “And you know, I didn’t give it (another) thought. Now that I got 40 and we’ve still got some games to go, it feels great knowing that I got there.”
The Royals have ample confidence in Estévez. He has pitched multiple days straight and been available for long save opportunities. He also served as a mentor to younger relievers on the team, such as Luinder Avila, Steven Cruz and Angel Zerpa.
This season, Estévez owns a 2.53 ERA in 64 innings while limiting opponents to a .201 batting average. In his most recent five outings entering Thursday’s series finale against the Seattle Mariners, he’d logged four saves while surrendering just one earned run.
“He has been available every single day of the season,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “He’s pitched three days in a row and he has been remarkably consistent in his attitude and the way he’s interacted in the clubhouse. That goes back to the offseason when we signed him.”
The Royals weren’t necessarily in the market for a reliever this past offseason. The club’s initial goal in free agency was to find an impact hitter. When those plans never materialized, the Royals’ front office in February pivoted to Estévez.
At the time, the Royals already had Lucas Erceg entrenched as their potential closer. However, Estévez offered a veteran presence after another long-time major-league reliever, Will Smith, departed KC in free agency.
Estévez was asked to fill that role. In spring training, he fit seamlessly into the clubhouse. He didn’t take long in adjusting to his new environment.
The Royals have leaned on him in their fight to remain afloat in the chase for a postseason berth.
“I think he is a tremendous person and he’s a tremendous competitor,” Quatraro said. “You don’t see him waver at all, no matter the situation he goes into.”
Estévez remains under contract with the Royals next season. He signed a two-year deal with a club option for 2027. He will likely reprise his closer role in 2026 and continue to prove why he was one of the Royals’ most valuable signings of 2025.
“Whenever you are in the middle of something great, you feel good because it means the hard work has paid off,” Estévez said. “At the same time, it feels like it’s not over. We’ve just gotta keep going and keep doing it because that’s what everyone is prepared for.”