4 years agoColorado Rockies reliever Carlos Estevez told reporters on Friday that the comebacker he took off his hand in mid-August really impacted the command of his pitches, especially his slider. The loss of command led to Estevez's poor finish down the stretch in 2020. The right-hander registered a 3.37 ERA and allowed just one home run over his first 11 appearances (10 2/3 innings). He then put up a lackluster 11.48 ERA and surrendered five home runs over his final 15 appearances (13 1/3 innings) after sustaining the injury on Aug. 16. The numbers would seem to back up his claim that the comebacker significantly affected his performance in the second half. The 28-year-old right-hander is healthy now and figures to be in the closer mix this season along with fellow righties Scott Oberg and Daniel Bard. Bard is the favorite to win the job, but it's a situation worth keeping an eye on as camp progresses. All three players could end up having fantasy value over the course of the season, albeit low-end closing value.--Jon Mathisen - RotoBaller
Source: Patrick Saunders