Braves predicted to reunite with $58M golden arm, 869 strikeout reliever after up-and-down season

Hunter Cookston

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Braves predicted to reunite with $58M golden arm, 869 strikeout reliever after up-and-down season image

The Atlanta Braves need to be decisive this offseason after a year in which they played some of the worst baseball they’ve seen in several years. Signings are going to be crucial. One name to watch is closer Raisel Iglesias, even though he was almost written off the roster.

“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.

This was early in the season, but toward the end, Iglesias may have worked his way back onto the roster.

“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.

Now, Braves insider Mark Bowman believes that Iglesias is likely to be signed by Atlanta once again.

“When Atlanta didn’t trade Raisel Iglesias this season, some fans wondered if this was a sign the closer would stick around beyond this year. Well, he could have been traded and still re-signed this offseason. But now, he could just be re-signed,” Bowman wrote.

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The Braves would love to have Iglesias’ end-of-year form for the entire season. Last season was just lackluster in so many facets.

Iglesias is going to be a fun name to watch, and he still has some good years left in the tank.

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Hunter Cookston

Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.