The Atlanta Braves have endured a season filled with unfortunate events—many of which they will likely put in the rearview mirror once the season ends. Looking ahead to 2026, the team seems poised for a fresh start, including changes in key positions, such as the expected retirement of manager Brian Snitker.
“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 player who could potentially be let go is Raisel Iglesias, who has been with Atlanta since the trade deadline in 2022.
“We can't be sure that Iglesias' going rate won't balloon to a point that makes Anthopoulos squeamish. The Braves typically lock up their guys ahead of time to avoid the pricey competition of the open market, so the fact that Iglesias is hitting free agency—even after surviving the trade deadline, against all odds—does not bode especially well for the Braves' odds of keeping him. After two middling seasons in a row, and with change in the air, Atlanta probably bows out of the Iglesias bidding war early to focus on younger, perhaps internal options,” FanSided’s Christopher Kline wrote.
Iglesias hasn’t exactly been at his best this season and has struggled at times, but he’s been heating up in August.
“That player is reliever Raisel Iglesias, who has been named the National League’s Reliever of the Month for his performance over the past month,” batterypower.com’s Demetrius Bell wrote.
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The fact remains that the Braves aren’t known for spending big on free agents. Iglesias will likely seek a hefty contract, and if this season signals a possible decline, the Braves would be wise not to make a major commitment. Still, losing Iglesias could end up being a significant blow for Atlanta.