The Atlanta Braves have some work to do with their bullpen this offseason. Luckily, there are plenty of options to choose from to fill those spots. A closer is the most important piece of that puzzle for the Braves
Raisel Iglesias did a great job for Atlanta over the last few years. However, he has also been tied to the Dodgers and Blue Jays this offseason. With so much interest, it has felt for a while now that Iglesias' exit from Atlanta was inevitable. He is getting older, and it would make sense for the Braves to move on from him before all of those miles on his arm catch up with him. However, for the right deal, the organization may consider bringing him back.
However, it sounds like Atlanta could be looking to make a splash in their search for a closer. ESPN's Jeff Passan recently released a list of his "perfect" offseason moves for each MLB team and his move for the Braves would replace Iglesias with a former Padres closer.
Jeff Passan thinks the Braves would be a perfect destination for Robert Suarez
In the piece, Robert Suarez was linked as a perfect addition to Atlanta's bullpen. Passan reasons that the Braves have "shown a willingness to spend on a closer" and should look to the most valuable fastball thrower available.
Suarez fits that bill perfectly and would provide Atlanta with an excellent ninth-inning option. His average fastball velocity was 98.6 mph, and was at the top of the league in 2025. The two-time All-Star tossed 69.2 innings last year with a 2.97 ERA, 40 saves, 16 walks, and 75 strikeouts.
Those are elite numbers and exactly what the Braves are looking for in a closer. His strikeout and walk rates were very impressive, as well as his chase rate. However, there is some room for improvement with his whiff, barrel, hard-hit, and ground ball rates.
Suarez's ground ball rate being lower is partly due to him being a strikeout pitcher. If new Atlanta pitching coach, Jeremy Hefner, can help Suarez improve in a few of those areas, he could be virtually unhittable.
Suarez is a very good fit for Atlanta. The only problem is that every contending team in baseball is going to be interested and that could make his price too steep for the Braves. However, if they want fans to buy into the team becoming a top-five payroll, they need to prove it. Signing Suarez could be the first step in that direction.