It has been a relatively good year for the Atlanta Braves' relief core. They have the third-best bullpen ERA in baseball, which is impressive. Dylan Lee, Raisel Iglesias, and Robert Suarez are big reasons why this is the case. Suarez is unfortunately down with an elbow injury at the moment, with no clear timeline for his return. However, there have also been some nice surprises sprinkled in. For example, Didier Fuentes and Dylan Dodd have pitched really well in relief.
That has been a blessing for the Braves, and Fuentes' incredible job this season may have solidified his role on this team. However, Iglesias' recent struggles and Suarez's extended absence could (and probably should) lead to Fuentes getting more chances in high-leverage spots.
Didier Fuentes has earned the chance to pitch in more high-leverage situations for the Braves
Iglesias has a 4.91 ERA, five walks, eight saves, and 15 strikeouts over his last 15 appearances. He's still managed to get the job done, but it has been really shaky. A lot of that could be due to pitching more often with Suarez's absence.
However, a deeper look shows Iglesias' fastball and sinker haven't been nearly as effective as they used to be. Opposing teams are batting .316 against the sinker and .276 against the fastball. Iggy's changeup remains one of the best and has a 38% whiff rate. That will play.
He has almost completely ditched his slider and has only thrown it 31 times this season. Opponents haven't hit it when he has thrown it, but that shows his confidence in the pitch is much lower than it used to be. With Iggy's recent struggles, it would make sense for Atlanta to give Fuentes more chances in high-leverage spots. He certainly has the stuff to be effective, as fans saw against the Marlins.
The youngster earned his second save of the season in Atlanta's 4-1 win over the Fish on August 5th. He pitched 1.1 innings with two strikeouts. It was very impressive to watch. Fuentes has a 1.80 ERA, three walks, and 15 strikeouts over his last seven games. His fastball has blasted past opponents with a 27% whiff rate on the season. However, his slider has been his equalizer.
The righty owns a 36% whiff rate and a 29.5% putaway rate on his slider this season. Opponents are batting just .156 against the pitch. He certainly has all of the tools to be an elite closer in the future. This recent development has probably made it a little easier for Atlanta to let Suarez have as much time as he needs to heal. Maybe taking some pressure off Iggy will help him as well.
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