Colorado Rockies: Who could be the closer in 2018?

Carlos Estevez

2017 stats: 5-0, 5.57 ERA, 32.1 innings pitched

Other than Raimel Tapia, no one saw more time between Triple-A Albuquerque and the Rockies than Estevez. In his second season with the Rockies, Estevez made the Opening Day roster but never seemed to find his exact role with Colorado this season.

It can be argued that Estevez had a worse 2017 than 2016, when he appeared in 63 games and put together 11 saves for the Rockies. Opponents hit .240 against him last season and .293 against him in 2017.

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Still, Colorado manager Bud Black is high on the promise that lies within Estevez. He was also pleased to see Estevez finish the regular season with six scoreless innings spanning nine games.

"“He’s pitching very well,” Black told Rox Pile and other media members near the end of the regular season. “When you pitch well, it breeds confidence and I think he’s coming into games with a great deal of confidence. He’s coming into games physically in a really good spot because his velocity is up.  And I think last year’s experience of getting saves and having heat on him in the ninth inning has been good for him. Experience is a great teacher. We have a lot of guys experiencing things for the first time and they’ll be better in the long term for it.”"

Estevez has experience as Colorado’s closer. He has also gained experience since some rocky outings toward the end of that run. Those things could pay off in 2018.