Angels "bombarded" with interest for closer; will Phillies make a trade?

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to be one of the most aggressive teams at the Major League Baseball trade deadline, and the bullpen is a key area to watch.

Though the trade market is expected to be thin on the whole, relievers on expiring contracts are always available, and the Phillies, though their bullpen has plenty of talent already, could use another option to close out games, perhaps a right-hander to spell lefty José Alvarado.

Luckily, a hard-throwing closer from the American League West will be available at the deadline. However, it may not be the one fans of the Phillies and other contending teams were hoping for.

In his MLB trade rumor roundup Sunday, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that the Los Angeles Angels were "getting bombarded with interest" for Carlos Estevez, who took home the AL Reliever of the Month award in June.

"(Estevez) may be the best reliever available on the market with Oakland A’s strikeout machine Mason Miller likely unavailable," Nightengale said.

And though Miller might have the nastier stuff compared to Estevez, acquiring the latter would come at a much lower cost. While Miller has five years remaining of team control, Estevez is an impending free agent.

The Athletics are expected to demand a hefty prospect package for Miller, perhaps more than any team is willing to pay. Estevez would only be around for one championship push, but the Angels likely know he's not going to re-sign, so their demands will be significantly lower.

Nightengale did not name the Phillies or any other team in connection to Estevez, but named the Phillies as one of the teams he expected to be most aggressive at the deadline.

The Phillies have the fifth-best bullpen ERA in MLB at 3.46, but rank in the middle of the pack with 25 saves in 39 opportunities. Estevez, meanwhile, is 16-for-19 in save opportunities, with a 3.00 ERA and a sparkling 0.81 WHIP.

Though the trade deadline is still over three weeks away, Estevez is a name to watch for the Phillies and almost every contending team. He's virtually guaranteed to be on the move and will improve the outlook of whichever squad he joins.

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