This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers' Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
MIAMI -- When he found out he was going to be an All-Star, Royals reliever Carlos Estévez did not have much time to prepare.
The closer was named an All-Star replacement just three days before he was due in Atlanta, so there was a mad scramble to make sure the travel plans were set, his bags were packed and he was ready to go for his second All-Star appearance.
Players often spruce up their wardrobe for All-Star Week, from their red-carpet outfit to their accessories on the field. But in Estévez’s rush, he didn’t have time to think about anything he’d do with his uniform.
That’s where Steven Cruz comes in.
Cruz, the 26-year-old fireball reliever who is turning into a high-leverage weapon, stole a pair of Estévez’s cleats, which were sitting in his locker at Kauffman Stadium during the final series before the break.
The next day, Cruz returned the cleats -- now painted with gold accents and “2x All-Star” on the side. Painting cleats has become a hobby for Cruz, who picked it up in 2023 when he began the year in Double-A. There, he watched Jorge Bonifacio paint his cleats, and Cruz soon started to help.
“He told me that I could do it by myself, too,” Cruz said. “I bought everything to do it this year, and I have a couple of cleats in my locker that I painted.
“I think it helps me stay calm, stay relaxed. It helps me mentally.”
Estévez was touched by the gesture, and Cruz simply wanted to do something small for the veteran reliever who has turned into a mentor and leader in the Royals’ clubhouse.
The Royals felt like Estévez was snubbed when he wasn’t named as an All-Star originally, as he leads the American League with 26 saves after being called upon to halt the Marlins' ninth-inning rally on Sunday afternoon.
When Estévez learned he would be going to Atlanta after all, the team was pumped for him -- and Cruz’s gift showed the appreciation.
“It means a lot,” Estévez said. “When I didn’t get named, at first, they were like, ‘That’s messed up.’ And when I made it, they were happy and like, ‘You really deserve it.’ And that’s a great feeling, when those guys see me that way and understand my job. I was pumped when I saw that Cruz did that. It’s really cool.”
Cruz didn’t watch the full All-Star Game but saw video of Estévez’s three strikeouts during his inning of work. He did it wearing the cleats painted by Cruz, and after the game, Estévez’s phone pinged with a text.
“I said that he got three strikeouts because I got his cleats ready,” Cruz said. “He said, ‘Oh yeah, that’s right.’”
Estévez plans to keep the cleats and store them -- along with his All-Star jersey, cap and the glove he used -- in a plexiglass display box at his house.
“It means a lot,” Cruz said. “He’s a really good guy. He’s got a lot of time in the big leagues, and he helps me all the time. Like if you have a bad day out there, he tells me, ‘Come on, you can do better. Scratch that and move on to the next.’”
With Cruz’s custom cleats reaching the All-Star Game, who knows where he can take the hobby from here.
“He’s an artist,” Estévez said. “I told him he’s going to get a raise.”