The Atlanta Braves' 2025 season was a tale of two halves for Atlanta's closer, Raisel Iglesias. The veteran right-hander gave up games at every turn early in the season. Evidence of this was a 4.42 ERA and five losses absorbed in the first months of the season. It reached a point that Iglesias simply had next to no trade value ahead of this year's deadline. Giving the closer a chance to turn his season around and go on an incredible run with the Braves once the games no longer mattered.
A 1.82 ERA and 17 saves proved there was still elite potential even if it didn't show up when the games actually mattered. With this in mind, the Braves need to allow the veteran to hit the market and judge whether or not the asking price is within their comfort zone. You simply cannot play a player to fix a bullpen that he was one of the biggest issues for during the first half of the season. When Iglesias began to show up and perform at a high level, the games no longer mattered.
Braves Must Allow Free Agent Closer Raisel Iglesias to Test Offseason Market
Even the elite turnaround doesn't take away the fact that Iglesias was one of the authors of Atlanta's 2025 dysfunction. It doesn't completely shut the door on a return or mean the Braves shouldn't keep a gauge on where things are throughout the offseason. Rather, it is pointing out the reality that a 35-year-old who lost his job early in the season and continued to earn chances based on pure desperation shouldn't be at the top of Atlanta's priority list.
The Braves need to be willing to spend what it takes to bring in younger and more reliable pieces around a rotation that has a chance to be the best in the league. Once healthy, the Braves will have Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, and Spencer Schwellenbach at the top of the rotation, a trio that can match up with any roster in the league.
However, this matters little if you have a pen capable of blowing any lead. An issue the Braves quickly found out in their Opening Day series months ago, and were never able to fully patch. There is an argument that the franchise needs a completely fresh start. With a handful of exceptions, clean house and allow your pending free agents to walk away.
At the very least, Iglesias shouldn't be the instant answer, even as great as the closer was over the last weeks of the season. It simply cannot wipe away the damage of the first months that helped dig a hole the Braves simply had zero chance of climbing out of.
Iglesias had great moments in an Atlanta uniform, but the sour start simply cannot be ignored. Allow the closer to hit free agency and attempt to gauge if the market value is beyond what you're willing to pay for an inconsistent player.