Braves closer Raisel Iglesias will open the season on the injured list due to what the team announced as “low-grade” inflammation in his right shoulder (Twitter link via Mark Bowman of MLB.com). He won’t throw for at least the next seven days, and he’ll be reevaluated at that point.
Acquired in a last-minute deadline deal last summer, Iglesias was overwhelmingly dominant following his trade to Atlanta, yielding just one earned run on 17 hits and five walks with 30 strikeouts in 26 1/3 innings. With Kenley Jansen handling the bulk of ninth-inning duties, Iglesias recorded just one save with the Braves, but he was slated to serve as the team’s primary stopper in 2023. That’ll still likely be the plan, assuming this indeed proves to be a minor setback in his readiness for the season, but a clearer picture of his timetable to return to the roster won’t be gleaned until he’s completed this weeklong no-throw period.
Even with Iglesias sidelined, the Braves aren’t lacking for high-leverage options in what should be one of the league’s deeper bullpens. The previously mentioned Minter, who posted a 2.06 ERA while fanning nearly 35% of his opponents in 2022, is perhaps the favorite to take over as the closer for however long is necessary. However, the Braves also have several quality arms, including Collin McHugh, trade acquisition Joe Jimenez and lefty Dylan Lee, who has quietly broken out as one of the NL’s better lefties over the past couple seasons.
The Braves took on the entirety of Iglesias’ remaining contract as part of the deal, which also sent lefty Tucker Davidson and the since re-signed (by the Braves) Jesse Chavez to Anaheim. As such, they’re on the hook for a $16MM salary not only for the 2023 season but also the 2024 and 2025 campaigns — Iglesias’ age-33 through age-35 seasons. Over his past three big league seasons, Iglesias has pitched to a 2.61 ERA (2.58 FIP, 2.29 SIERA) with a 34.8% strikeout rate, 5.1% walk rate and 39.9% ground-ball rate in 155 innings.
I would guess Dylan Lee or AJ Minter would close until Iglesias is back.
Maybe Shuster and Dodd both make team now and Minter closes
@Manny, just watched Schuster pitch 6 impressive innings against the Mets. I hope both him and Dodd make the team. Exciting, young pitchers. Play ball!
Iglesias going to the IL probably means Nick Anderson is called back up to the 26 man.
Well, so much for that “best bullpen” that @RunDMC was boasting about…
mlbtraderumors.com/2023/03/mlbtr-poll-braves-fifth…
Buh Bye…
It’s still a really good bullpen, and it’s not like Raisel is out for the season. Minter is fully capable of being a quality closer.
@bhambrave
“really good bullpen” is different from “Best Bullpen”.
Anyway, we’ll see what happens when the season starts.
Yeah when you lose your best bullpen arm, rarely would a team remain the best bullpen. Hope they aren’t out of the race when he comes back in mid april
@John
We if he is only expected to miss two weeks (back in mid april) then they didn’t lose their best bullpen arm. Losing Edwin Diaz is losing your best bullpen arm.
Out of the race? Surely you can’t be that ignorant. You make it sound as if they just lost Fried and Strider.
@lamars
this is just semantics. he is lost for 2 weeks
@Joeyg2033
was sarcasm
Sorry… read it out of context. Makes sense now…duh. 😉
Still better than your teams bullpen.
@Saint Nick
On paper, yes.
In every way possible, not just on paper. Braves will just call Nick Anderson back up.
Really don’t know why some of you keep touting Nick Anderson like he’s some God send.
He’s pitched 1 full season in his major league career way back in 2019.
It was a good low risk high reward type signing, so don’t get it wrong. But the delusion of this fan base is so head scratching. You know he’s just a massive flyer right? The fact some of you seem to be relying so heavily on that to pan out shows just how delusional some of you are about moves the Braves make. There’s a reason they got him as cheap as they did.
Am I the only sane Braves fan on this entire forum that’s capable of seeing things straight without massive amounts of bias? I’m embarrassed to be a fan of the same team as most of you.
Honestly, if you followed another team –to rant your seemly endless negative crap –yet somehow qualify it as ‘being honest.’ I’m sure the new team would welcome your insights with open arms.
You mean the same scrap heap that yielded them Matszek in 2021? How’d that work out?
Not really sure what’s debatable. They had one of the best bullpens last year, and presuming Iglesias was healthy (which this is the first we’ve heard of anything all ST) and subtracting some of the shakiness form last year (Will Smith, Jansen at times, Jackson Stephens). The discovery of Dylan Lee and even the recently demoted Nick Anderson (11K in 8 IP in ST). If Joe Jimenez can look like he has in 2022 (not so so far in ST), who has closing experience, along with some from Minter — not sure why this still can’t be one of , if not, the best bullpen.
@RunDMC
You know I had to rip at you for that post. Nothing personal, though. All the best to the Braves bullpen.
@Old York — if you’re going to quote me, please fully quote me “one of the best bullpens” (what I actually said per your handy dandy link) is very different from “best bullpen”.
Damn. Injuries mounting all around
I expect a lot of teams will be announcing IL stuff, now that we’re getting close to the start. There was no need before, because there were no restrictions on how many players could be in camp.
Not a big deal. Grissom was sent down to get reps at closer. All part of AA’s plan. Only idiots don’t see it.
Yeah Grissom needs to work on his secondary offerings to reach his backend of the pen potential
Hahahahaha
I agree it’s not a big deal, but I seriously doubt Iglesias going on the IL is “part of AA’s plan.”
Why Grissom when you have Michael Harris II?
Like A ARON said RELAX. Week away from opening day and folks are freaking out. They have Depth in the BP and guys that have done it before.
They’ll be 15 out by the all star break. Shut him down for the year and focus on 24’
Fifteen?! Lol.
The Braves have a pattern of starting slow, so I could see a scenario they’re a couple back at the AS break. They finish strong, though. They’ll be in first place after 162, and that’s really all that matters.
You wouldn’t have the powerball numbers for Saturday, by chance?
I do, actually. If you’re a Mets fan though I’m not going to share them.
I was to talking to Carnac the Magnificent above you
15 games. 10.5 games. Braves winning the division again.
Who in their right mind would come to a thread about another team and troll the team claiming they will be 15 games back by mid July? Don’t these people have lives?
I came on here to read the Brave’s plan “B”, but these living in their mom’s basement trolls are everywhere.
You answered your own question with that last sentence,
Shouldn’t need a plan B. A contender should have their bullpen stacked enough to handle losing a guy for the entire season. Even a closer. If he misses a few weeks or month it shouldn’t be a problem. If you need a plan B pick up a waiver cut to eat garbage innings and hope the inflation is just a minor thing.
yourDream. Did you just right that?
Life is how you deal with plan “B”. It’s very very common to have a Plan “B”. But I’m not a Braves fan, so I came on this thread to find out what it was.
Write that. Obviously not “right.”
You don’t have a plan B in baseball a week before the season starts. You have a plan D for desperation. You over pay for a Britton if you think there is something their yet you and 29 other teams didn’t want him before you suffered a injury or over pay in a trade. A smart team could find something on dfa market but they would do that anyways. A contending team should have solidified their depth over the winter. Not saying the Braves haven’t. But if they didn’t the only options are to take the hit or do something desperate. When you do your plan A you should already have your what if scenarios built in. If I die without life insurance or $ put aside there isn’t a plan b for my family it’s plan d. If my assets are frozen, insurance doesn’t want to pay out and I don’t have hidden assets their isn’t plan c just plan d. Not saying you shouldn’t have a plan B. Just that it should have been part of your plan A.
Slider is a wandering troll. Pay him no mind.
Not a great way to start the season. I’m guessing Nick Anderson will take his place.
The trade of Jimenez was a good move…he should be in the mix as well.
I actually think this years pen will be better due to addition by subtraction. We didn’t have vintage Jansen last year we had a old quite lucky version. I agree with Run that Minter is capable of closing. Until I hear anything really bad on Raisel I won’t be concerned on the bullpen. There is still Kirby Yates as well. Jesse Chavez will probably turn into a invincible pitcher as he done before while donning a Braves jersey.
Don’t forget Forgettable Brian Moran. He’s just a phone call away at Gwinnett.
Closer by committee approach. Nick Anderson probably get recalled as he has an option left.
LOL Braves
I think Tonkin will get the nod.