All-Star’s injury bodes well for Braves at the trade deadline

The Braves are expected to be sellers at the trade deadline, and one of their trade chips just became that much more valuable.

The Orioles announced today that closer Felix Baustista has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder discomfort. The Orioles are expected to be sellers at the deadline as well, and Bautista would draw plenty of interest if Baltimore made him available.

Fortunately for the Braves, the Orioles closer is on the IL, and the O’s have been adamant that the 30-year-old, who is under team control for two more years, is a part of the team’s 2026 plans. That makes Raisel Iglesias more valuable.

With Bautista’s injury, there’s almost certainly no chance he’s traded. Given the nature of the deadline, the Braves are in a position of leverage. The supply of relievers is low, and the demand is high.

Not only will Iglesias’ value improve, but the Braves’ chances of trading Pierce Johnson and Aaron Bummer improved as well. If the Twins decide not to trade Jhoan Duran, the Braves relievers will suddenly become a hot commodity, regardless of their respective performances this season.

Granted, Iglesias hasn’t been his usual dominant self as a closer this year, but if a team sees him as a set-up man, I think that he could thrive in that role. Chase recently predicted that the Braves would trade him to the Mariners, who have a dominant closer in Andres Munoz, but in Seattle, Iglesias could slide out of the closer role and still provide some high-leverage stuff.

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