It has been a great season for Atlanta Braves pitching in 2024. Despite all of the injury trouble, Atlanta's starting rotation and bullpen have been a highlight for Braves fans. Together they have secured a 3.57 team ERA which is the best in the National League.
The bullpen is no exception to that rule as they have a 3.25 ERA which is second-best behind the Brewers bullpen. It's been a great year for relievers in Atlanta and Raisel Iglesias is right at the top of that list.
Raisel Iglesias’ dominance may have made him irreplaceable for the Atlanta Braves
Iglesias was recently awarded National League Pitcher of the Month for his stellar performance in August. He has been one of the best relief pitchers in baseball all season which is indicated by his 1.24 ERA. Iggy has 30 saves through 58 innings in 2024 with 10 walks and 58 strikeouts.
It's not just the stats that back up his incredible performance but watching him, you can see how locked in he is for the Braves. The confidence level is off the charts. He knows he is the best reliever on this team and the hitters have to be prepared for a tough at-bat.
This is great for Atlanta as it guarantees they have a chance to win if they are up in the late innings. Most likely, Raisel will come into the game and shut things down for a Braves win.
However, this could be a bad thing for Atlanta in the offseason. Iglesias will enter the final year of a four-year contract where he makes $16 million per season. That is a big chunk of cash the Braves could use toward free agent upgrades to bolster the team for 2025.
Braves pitching will be a major focus of the offseason as they have starters and relievers hitting the market or retiring. Iglesias has pitched himself into irreplaceable status and the team will likely hold on to him as a result. There's no reason to get rid of him outside of financial considerations.
Raisel Iglesias, K'ing the Side. pic.twitter.com/9uhSpsAsAP
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 23, 2024
The team has outfielder Jorge Soler making $16 million next season and if they choose to pick up Marcell Ozuna's club option, he will cost them $16 million as well. Each of those bats could easily be a designated hitter for the team so Atlanta could consider moving one of them instead with Soler being far more likely, but also more difficult to trade.
However, being able to move Iglesias would have been a much simpler task. I don't expect the Braves to do that after the incredible year he's had for the team. He fits well on this roster and seems to really love being in Atlanta.
The team won't find a better option on the market for a closer in the offseason so they may be better off just holding on to Iglesias in the end.