<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TRknWYKoVx8dzP671bUF4bp4p70=/0x191:1459x1164/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73803477/usa_today_23993438.0.jpg">
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Iglesias followed a near-immaculate summer with a thud in September, yet handled it all with style 2024 was a rough season. There were oh so many injuries. The ball had the consistency of a wet sponge, especially at Truist Park. The rotation had its usual share of nicks and nags, along with a voluntary easing up off the gas pedal that led to the team dipping into Triple-A all too often for help. But the bullpen really kept it together. As a unit, the Atlanta bullpen finished third in MLB and second in the NL in fWAR, but were first in the NL (second in MLB) and first in MLB in FIP- and xFIP-, respectively. The offense and defense were middle of the pack, the rotation was the best in baseball, and the bullpen really helped push the team over the edge. Holding down the ninth inning was Raisel Iglesias, who put together his best season in a Braves uniform to date, including three face-ripping summer months when the Braves needed a boost to prevent the season from going off the rails.
How acquired
Iglesias was acquired right at the Trade Deadline in a trade with the Angels back in 2022. The Braves parted ways with pitchers Tucker Davidson and Jesse Chavez in the deal, but were only without Chavez for four weeks, as they got him back on waivers after the Angels released him. That said, this deal was more about the Angels realizing they didn’t need to pay a closer $52 million (even though they had just signed Iglesias earlier that offseason) and moving that obligation to a team less concerned with that sort of thing.
The Iglesias trade was the big move at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He ousted Will Smith from the closer role and has held it ever since.
What were the expectations?
No surprise, Iglesias was slotted to handle closer duties again for the Braves in 2024.
Coming into 2024, Iglesias was coming off a 1.0 fWAR season in 2023, which was actually his lowest total since 2018. He’d had a 1.5 fWAR season in total in 2022, and a career-high 2.0 fWAR in 2021. Over those past three seasons, his worst ERA- was 62, his worst FIP- was 76, and his worst xFIP- was 76. Basically, he was a really good reliever with the only variation in his seasons being whether he was merely really good or outright dominant.
Something like a repeat of his 2022 (an average of his 2021 and 2023 seasons) made sense; ZiPS had him at 1.2 WAR.
2024 Results
Iglesias’ 2024 ended up being an interesting mix of dominance and league average performance. He started off weirdly pedestrian 65/89/101 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) through June 16, with a sub-20 percent strikeout rate. He was still getting the job done with eight shutdowns to three meltdowns, but was skating by on the defense behind him more than anything he was doing himself.
After that June 16 game, though, where he gave up a two-run, game-losing homer in the ninth to Jose Siri, he went into overdrive. Between June 18 and September 13, he posted a 0/32/64 line, with a strikeout rate north of 35 percent, and a shutdown/meltdown ratio of 17/1. (The one meltdown came when he allowed a single that scored an inherited runner, and the Braves ended up winning the game anyway.) That stretch featured zero earned runs, 43 strikeouts to five walks, and opponents combining for .089/.134/.125 against him and the defense.
And then things wheeled back the other way. On September 15, Iglesias came into a 2-2 game against the Dodgers, posted a 1/1 K/BB ratio with a homer allowed, and got charged with five runs — about 30 percent of total runs charged to him through the season to date — in what turned into a 9/2 loss. Inclusive of that game, and through the end of the season, Iglesias once again had a sub-20 percent strikeout rate, a 182/139/105 line, and a sad 2/2 shutdown/meltdown ratio. He pitched in both games of the Game 161/162 doubleheader, but Game 161 involved him getting blasted by the Mets to blow a lead before the Braves had a big rally and then also blew that lead.
In terms of outcomes, the slider took a step back from 2023. However, every other offering improved.
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vNw1VdPH6_QZzFXtpIpJXE1ht9Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25797827/Iglesias2.png">
He did, however, enjoy great success with his fastballs: four-seam fastball xwOBA dropped from .400 in 2023 to .218; sinker xwOBA dropped from .471 in 2023 to .277. The changeup drove most of his strikeouts last season. But in 2024, the four-seamer actually collected more strikeouts.
Iglesias really struggled with slider command in 2023, and clearly refined that in 2024 to give it a pretty tight profile. But everything else got a bit more erratic, which clearly didn’t affect him for his long dominant stretch. On the flip side, his pitch shapes all got marginally better, which clearly made him more effective, even though Iglesias is more of a command-and-pitch-mix guy than someone who blows guys away with extreme stuff.
For his efforts, Iglesias earned the NL Reliever of the Month award in August. He really could have won it in July as well. He finished in the top 20 in fWAR among qualified relievers with his 1.6 fWAR and 47/67/83 line. The 83 xFIP- was actually his worst mark since 2018, but was clearly driven by stuff at the beginning and end of the year rather than being a problem all season. He finished third in WPA among relievers, behind Emmanuel Clase and former teammate Kirby Yates.
What went right?
As indicated, he took a blowtorch to the League for three solid summer months. He was asked several times to cover two innings to keep the Braves in some games, and handled them beautifully. Probably his best performance of the year was August 12 versus the Giants. Iglesias was handed the ball in the ninth of a scoreless game that featured an insane Blake Snell-Chris Sale pitcher’s duel, and pitched two commanding innings. Let’s have a look at his fastball that day.
Watch this changeup just fall off the table.
Iglesias was toying with the Giants here, this time with the slider.
All in all, Iglesias threw two scoreless frames, including one in extra innings. He struck out four of the six Giants he faced; the other two flew out.
What went wrong?
Relievers don’t play a lot, so there’s some SSS in Raisel’s debit column. Those last two weeks were pretty rough. He could really do nothing against the Dodgers on September 15, helping create this ugly win expectancy chart.
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KBKHOmW0XT_E6yxp_fa7A9UOvJk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25798569/Iglesias3.png">
Iglesias was handed the ball in the ninth in a 2-2 game at home. It started without too much trouble, (strikeout, triple, ground out, intentional walk) giving him a chance with two outs versus Mookie Betts. Betts found a hole with a single to drive in a run. Freddie Freeman followed with another 2-RBI single, leading to this.
His slider ended up hung and deposited into the center field stands, sending ESPN into hysterics. Then there was the matter of the blown save in the second to last game of the year versus the Mets, but let’s not rehash that one... especially since it was part of a teamwide bullpen meltdown on both sides.
2025 Outlook
Iglesias is entering his age 35 season with one year left on his contract. Barring injury, he should continue to serve as the Braves’ primary closer in 2025. His strikeout numbers, outside of the summer, took a step back. He posted his lowest strikeout rate since 2016, but the HR/FB was in his favor, so the extra baserunner chances weren’t as noticeable. He will need to continue to tamp down the home runs in 2025, However, with his arsenal coming into his walk year, he has all the tools to lock down the ninth next year.
Steamer projects Iglesias for 0.9 WAR in 70 innings, which is a fair bit worse than he’s been for quite a whole. ZiPS has more of a continuation of his recent success, with 1.3 WAR in under 60 innings. Either way, like much of their position player group, this isn’t a spot the Braves particularly need to fret about; they’ve got bigger problems going into 2025.
<img alt="MLB: Atlanta Braves at San Francisco Giants" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/TRknWYKoVx8dzP671bUF4bp4p70=/0x191:1459x1164/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73803477/usa_today_23993438.0.jpg">
Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images
Iglesias followed a near-immaculate summer with a thud in September, yet handled it all with style 2024 was a rough season. There were oh so many injuries. The ball had the consistency of a wet sponge, especially at Truist Park. The rotation had its usual share of nicks and nags, along with a voluntary easing up off the gas pedal that led to the team dipping into Triple-A all too often for help. But the bullpen really kept it together. As a unit, the Atlanta bullpen finished third in MLB and second in the NL in fWAR, but were first in the NL (second in MLB) and first in MLB in FIP- and xFIP-, respectively. The offense and defense were middle of the pack, the rotation was the best in baseball, and the bullpen really helped push the team over the edge. Holding down the ninth inning was Raisel Iglesias, who put together his best season in a Braves uniform to date, including three face-ripping summer months when the Braves needed a boost to prevent the season from going off the rails.
How acquired
Iglesias was acquired right at the Trade Deadline in a trade with the Angels back in 2022. The Braves parted ways with pitchers Tucker Davidson and Jesse Chavez in the deal, but were only without Chavez for four weeks, as they got him back on waivers after the Angels released him. That said, this deal was more about the Angels realizing they didn’t need to pay a closer $52 million (even though they had just signed Iglesias earlier that offseason) and moving that obligation to a team less concerned with that sort of thing.
The Iglesias trade was the big move at the 2022 Trade Deadline. He ousted Will Smith from the closer role and has held it ever since.
What were the expectations?
No surprise, Iglesias was slotted to handle closer duties again for the Braves in 2024.
Coming into 2024, Iglesias was coming off a 1.0 fWAR season in 2023, which was actually his lowest total since 2018. He’d had a 1.5 fWAR season in total in 2022, and a career-high 2.0 fWAR in 2021. Over those past three seasons, his worst ERA- was 62, his worst FIP- was 76, and his worst xFIP- was 76. Basically, he was a really good reliever with the only variation in his seasons being whether he was merely really good or outright dominant.
Something like a repeat of his 2022 (an average of his 2021 and 2023 seasons) made sense; ZiPS had him at 1.2 WAR.
2024 Results
Iglesias’ 2024 ended up being an interesting mix of dominance and league average performance. He started off weirdly pedestrian 65/89/101 line (ERA-/FIP-/xFIP-) through June 16, with a sub-20 percent strikeout rate. He was still getting the job done with eight shutdowns to three meltdowns, but was skating by on the defense behind him more than anything he was doing himself.
After that June 16 game, though, where he gave up a two-run, game-losing homer in the ninth to Jose Siri, he went into overdrive. Between June 18 and September 13, he posted a 0/32/64 line, with a strikeout rate north of 35 percent, and a shutdown/meltdown ratio of 17/1. (The one meltdown came when he allowed a single that scored an inherited runner, and the Braves ended up winning the game anyway.) That stretch featured zero earned runs, 43 strikeouts to five walks, and opponents combining for .089/.134/.125 against him and the defense.
And then things wheeled back the other way. On September 15, Iglesias came into a 2-2 game against the Dodgers, posted a 1/1 K/BB ratio with a homer allowed, and got charged with five runs — about 30 percent of total runs charged to him through the season to date — in what turned into a 9/2 loss. Inclusive of that game, and through the end of the season, Iglesias once again had a sub-20 percent strikeout rate, a 182/139/105 line, and a sad 2/2 shutdown/meltdown ratio. He pitched in both games of the Game 161/162 doubleheader, but Game 161 involved him getting blasted by the Mets to blow a lead before the Braves had a big rally and then also blew that lead.
In terms of outcomes, the slider took a step back from 2023. However, every other offering improved.
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vNw1VdPH6_QZzFXtpIpJXE1ht9Y=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25797827/Iglesias2.png">
He did, however, enjoy great success with his fastballs: four-seam fastball xwOBA dropped from .400 in 2023 to .218; sinker xwOBA dropped from .471 in 2023 to .277. The changeup drove most of his strikeouts last season. But in 2024, the four-seamer actually collected more strikeouts.
Iglesias really struggled with slider command in 2023, and clearly refined that in 2024 to give it a pretty tight profile. But everything else got a bit more erratic, which clearly didn’t affect him for his long dominant stretch. On the flip side, his pitch shapes all got marginally better, which clearly made him more effective, even though Iglesias is more of a command-and-pitch-mix guy than someone who blows guys away with extreme stuff.
For his efforts, Iglesias earned the NL Reliever of the Month award in August. He really could have won it in July as well. He finished in the top 20 in fWAR among qualified relievers with his 1.6 fWAR and 47/67/83 line. The 83 xFIP- was actually his worst mark since 2018, but was clearly driven by stuff at the beginning and end of the year rather than being a problem all season. He finished third in WPA among relievers, behind Emmanuel Clase and former teammate Kirby Yates.
What went right?
As indicated, he took a blowtorch to the League for three solid summer months. He was asked several times to cover two innings to keep the Braves in some games, and handled them beautifully. Probably his best performance of the year was August 12 versus the Giants. Iglesias was handed the ball in the ninth of a scoreless game that featured an insane Blake Snell-Chris Sale pitcher’s duel, and pitched two commanding innings. Let’s have a look at his fastball that day.
Watch this changeup just fall off the table.
Iglesias was toying with the Giants here, this time with the slider.
All in all, Iglesias threw two scoreless frames, including one in extra innings. He struck out four of the six Giants he faced; the other two flew out.
What went wrong?
Relievers don’t play a lot, so there’s some SSS in Raisel’s debit column. Those last two weeks were pretty rough. He could really do nothing against the Dodgers on September 15, helping create this ugly win expectancy chart.
<img alt=" " data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/KBKHOmW0XT_E6yxp_fa7A9UOvJk=/400x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25798569/Iglesias3.png">
Iglesias was handed the ball in the ninth in a 2-2 game at home. It started without too much trouble, (strikeout, triple, ground out, intentional walk) giving him a chance with two outs versus Mookie Betts. Betts found a hole with a single to drive in a run. Freddie Freeman followed with another 2-RBI single, leading to this.
His slider ended up hung and deposited into the center field stands, sending ESPN into hysterics. Then there was the matter of the blown save in the second to last game of the year versus the Mets, but let’s not rehash that one... especially since it was part of a teamwide bullpen meltdown on both sides.
2025 Outlook
Iglesias is entering his age 35 season with one year left on his contract. Barring injury, he should continue to serve as the Braves’ primary closer in 2025. His strikeout numbers, outside of the summer, took a step back. He posted his lowest strikeout rate since 2016, but the HR/FB was in his favor, so the extra baserunner chances weren’t as noticeable. He will need to continue to tamp down the home runs in 2025, However, with his arsenal coming into his walk year, he has all the tools to lock down the ninth next year.
Steamer projects Iglesias for 0.9 WAR in 70 innings, which is a fair bit worse than he’s been for quite a whole. ZiPS has more of a continuation of his recent success, with 1.3 WAR in under 60 innings. Either way, like much of their position player group, this isn’t a spot the Braves particularly need to fret about; they’ve got bigger problems going into 2025.
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