It’s remarkable how a single roster move can reshape the perception of an entire unit. That appears to be the case for the Atlanta Braves bullpen following closer Raisel Iglesias being placed on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation. Through the season’s opening weeks, Atlanta’s bullpen performed at a high level and was widely viewed as a strength. However, Iglesias’ absence—combined with inconsistent outings from the club’s lower-leverage arms—has introduced a degree of uncertainty about the group’s reliability moving forward.
The pitching staff as a whole has fallen out of sync, as a pair of abbreviated starts in recent days has forced pitching coach Walt Weiss to rely on the bullpen more heavily than anticipated. Team reporters indicated Wednesday night that Atlanta plans to swap Didier Fuentes for J.R. Ritchie, who is expected to make his Major League debut on Thursday.
The roster adjustments didn’t end there: Dylan Dodd was placed on the injured list, while veteran Carlos Carrasco will be recalled to provide much-needed length out of the bullpen as the series against the Nationals concludes. While Robert Suarez, Tyler Kinley, and Dylan Lee have delivered strong performances, the remainder of Atlanta’s relief corps has been less consistent.
Cookie Carrasco will come up to provide a long relief option in the pen tomorrow. Dylan Dodd is going on the IL with a back or oblique strain. And in case you missed it earlier, Fuentes is going down to make room for Ritchie to start tomorrow.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) April 23, 2026
Braves' bullpen is a lot less formidable without Raisel Iglesias, needs some guys to step up
Iglesias had been dominant prior to being sidelined by injury, and the club does not currently appear to have a clear-cut option ready to step seamlessly into a higher-leverage role. As a result, manager Weiss may be forced to rely more heavily on Aaron Bummer and Joel Payamps—both of whom have struggled to find consistency early in the 2026 season.
The Braves have long prioritized providing their rotation with extra rest, but with a more limited bullpen, that approach becomes increasingly difficult to sustain. Perhaps once Spencer Strider returns to the rotation, the club will have the flexibility to shift a starter into a relief role. Until then, the Gwinnett shuttle may get a lot of miles over the next few weeks as Atlanta looks to manage its pitching workload.
Ultimately, Atlanta’s bullpen situation underscores just how quickly a strength can become a question mark over the course of a long season. Injuries, inconsistency, and an increased workload have combined to test the group’s depth early on. Until Iglesias returns and the pitching staff regains its balance, the Braves will need to piece together outs and remain flexible in how they deploy their arms.
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