The Atlanta Braves have a clear goal this winter, outside of adding a shortstop: find a new reliever to add to the bullpen.
Raisel Iglesias is not enough for the Braves to add this winter, and acquiring a new reliever would go a long way towards building a strong bullpen.
After losing out on Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report the next free agent target of the Braves, who is a two-time All-Star who was the NL saves leader in 2025.
Braves interested in NL saves leader after Edwin Diaz miss in free agency
"With Diaz off the board, the Braves continue to look for another back-end reliever to pair with Raisel Iglesias, whom they re-signed to a one-year, $16 million contract." Rosenthal and Sammon write. "They were interested in righty Kyle Finnegan before he agreed to return to the Detroit Tigers on a two-year, $19 million agreement, and also are considering Robert Suarez."
While the interest in Kyle Finnegan and Edwin Diaz is noteworthy, they both departed for the Detroit Tigers and the Dodgers, respectively.
Now, the Braves are setting their sights on free agent reliever Robert Suarez. The 2025 NL Saves leader and two-time All-Star former San Diego Padres closer is one of the best bullpen arms on the market.
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He's 34 years old and is coming off incredible back-to-back seasons. In 2024, Suarez had a 2.77 ERA in 66 games with 36 saves and 59 strikeouts.
In 2025, Suarez had a 2.97 ERA in 70 games with 40 saves and 75 strikeouts. It was his best season as a professional, and he's now poised to land a huge contract this winter.
While he won't be cheap, the Braves have plenty of reason to sign Suarez to a long-term deal. The Toronto Blue Jays are interested, but so too are the New York Mets.
After the Mets lost Diaz to the Dodgers, the Braves could not only sign a top reliever for themselves, but also take a great option off the table for the Mets this winter.
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