The Atlanta Braves built one of the best bullpens in Major League Baseball this offseason. This relief core is anchored by two of the best closers in baseball, Raisel Iglesias and Robert Suarez. Suarez has had the most saves in baseball over the last two years. Atlanta couldn't pass on adding him to their roster. He joined the Braves on a three-year, $45 million contract.
Suarez is known for having one of the best fastballs in the game, with an average velocity of 98.6 mph in 2025. With Iglesias signing a one-year deal with the Braves this season, it's safe to assume the idea is for Suarez to take over the reins after 2026.
Fans have already gotten to see Suarez and his impressive fastball in action on the mound this season. Has he been as advertised, or were the Braves duped into signing him? Let's examine his brief work so far and see if we can find that answer.
Robert Suarez has been great so far for the Braves, but he needs to limit the quality contact
He has only pitched two innings so far this year with three hits allowed, no walks, one strikeout, and one hold. Suarez has already registered two of the fastest pitches this season at 100.7 mph. There's no denying the effectiveness of his velocity.
Yesterday's CWS/MIA might not have been the best game but it featured some unreal pitches.
— Alex Fast (@AlexFast8) March 31, 2026
Here are yesterday's whiffs that had the most armside movement, gloveside movement, drop, rise and velo
Featuring: Robert Suarez, Chris Paddack, and a nasty slurve via Sean Newcomb pic.twitter.com/RTwtyKukb0
However, seeing teams be able to get hits off of him isn't encouraging. His strikeout rate was one of the best in baseball last season. But it's important to note his whiff rate did sit at 24% last year, which isn't something you typically want from a closer.
Suarez's strengths lie in the fact that he doesn't issue a lot of walks, and he induces a lot of chase. The good news, so far over a very brief preview, is that he's still getting a lot of chase, he's not issuing walks, and he's limiting hard contact.
These things should only improve over the course of the season. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has seemingly done a great job of helping Atlanta's pitchers develop this offseason, including Suarez. Early signs point to Suarez being exactly as advertised. Obviously, there is time for things to go south, but it doesn't feel like that will happen.