It seemed the Atlanta Braves were well on their way to a series win on Saturday night, having an early 7-2 lead and longer reliever Joey Wentz tossing four scoreless innings. Only the Braves could find a way to fumble away this offensive explosion after being handed a great start from the former top prospect.
In stepped the Atlanta bullpen to fumble away the lead with the game tied at 8 heading into the game's final frame. Manager Brian Snitker called on closer Raisel Iglesias, who had regained the role after an impressive surge prior to the All-Star break. It seemed the once-dominating closer had finally figured things out.
This was a short-lived belief with Iglesias stepping and instantly giving up two walks and consistent hard contact. New York loaded the bases and seemed to be taking control before a nice play by third baseman Nacho Alvarez robbed the Yankees of the lead. Iglesias was one out away from giving Atlanta's lineup a chance for a walk-off win.
Instead, Trent Grisham stepped to the plate and hit a grand slam that would both implode what little trade value Iglesias had built and Atlanta's hopes of a hot start to the second half.
Braves' Closer Raisel Iglesias Continues to Implode Trade Value
With the 2025 season being over before the second half began, there was an obvious reason for the Braves to attempt to sell expiring contracts. The most notable of these are Iglesias and slugger Marcell Ozuna.
We are two games after the break, and Ozuna is benched due to poor performance, and Iglesias has given up a grand slam in a high-leverage situation. Neither player carries much value for a team that continues to frustrate its fan base.
Atlanta is in such a mess that they lack veteran pieces to sell off to attempt to reset for next season. Ozuna or Iglesias is not going to garner a notable return with the current performance of both pieces. There was a bit of hope Iglesias had turned the corner prior to the break and was going to continue to build a bit of value back after a rough start.
A hope that was obviously misplaced, with Atlanta's season now imploded and the Braves left in disarray. There really isn't much to do now except let the remainder of the season play out and learn from the mistakes of the 2025 offseason. Getting healthy and bringing in additional depth in hopes of turning the corner in 2026 should be the Braves' only focus as Atlanta continues to redefine rock bottom.