It isn't just Atlanta's depth pieces that have struggled to start the season; from veteran starter Chris Sale to lineup cornerstones Austin Riley and Matt Olson, the issues are widespread. Many of the concerns are simply based on how quickly key veterans can bounce back. Very few of Atlanta's concerns are long -erm but more so focused on whether or not they can survive long enough to find their footing.
A piece of this is evaluating Braves who are struggling and whether or not a change could be in order. Atlanta lacks proven depth but has a number of interesting options in Gwinnett that could soon push for an active roster spot. With this in mind, let's take a look at the Braves, who have started the season off on shaky ground.
1. Raisel Iglesias
Atlanta's bullpen is already facing a number of questions that have left Brian Snitker holding game tryouts for a setup role. There is no scenario where the closer's job is in any serious peril. Iglesias has already blown one save this season and picked up two losses. Much like Chris Sale, one of the few reliable veteran pitchers from last season, has become a shocking part of the problem.
Iglesias did look better in the finale against the Phillies and pitched a scoreless inning to give the Braves a chance to either force extras or walk the game off. While there should still be a small level of concern, the Braves have more concerning problems and simply lack other viable options.
While former Atlanta closer Craig Kimbrel is back in the organization, the veteran's days as a closer are behind him. Atlanta didn't bring in Kimbrel to close games but as a potential back-end of the bullpen option. The velocity and quality of pitches are still there for Iglesias as well, suggesting it is simply a rough start, and the closer will bounce back. This is simply too small of a sample size to overreact to and should be the outlier as the season wears on.