The Atlanta Braves have officially reached Game 162, and after Sunday, all eyes will shift to the offseason. Several key decisions loom, and anything could happen. One major storyline will be whether the Braves move on from several core players — possibly even their manager.
“Because of that consistent recent success, Snit would normally be afforded a ‘mulligan’ year — even though going from the second-best preseason World Series odds to possibly the third-best odds of winning the draft lottery is a pretty serious mulligan,” Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller wrote. “At 69, though, he's already the oldest manager in the National League by a several-year margin and was likely to retire at the end of this season, which is the last one in his current contract.”
One of the biggest decisions facing the front office involves closer Raisel Iglesias, who has had an up-and-down year but ended on a strong note.
“Iglesias has actually pitched himself back into the conversation for sticking around. He might have gotten that chance due to poor performance putting a dent in his trade stock, but he showed, regardless, that he's as good as he's ever been,” SI’s Harrison Smajovits wrote.
There’s been debate all season about Iglesias’ future with the team. Some believe this could be his final year in Atlanta as the Braves may look for a new bullpen option. However, given his impact in several big moments, there's still a chance he could return on a short-term deal.
The Braves are expected to be aggressive in free agency — especially when it comes to pitching — which could ultimately leave Iglesias on the outside of the team’s future plans.
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Still, up until this year, Iglesias had been one of the most reliable arms in the Braves’ bullpen. He reminded everyone of his value in August when he was named NL Reliever of the Month. It’s a tough decision ahead for GM Alex Anthopoulos.