Bizarre injury sidelines Braves' closer Raisel Iglesias

The Atlanta Braves' bullpen took a hit Tuesday when the team placed right-hander Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. 

Manager Walt Weiss said Iglesias, the closer, “slept on his shoulder wrong,” according to MLB.com Braves beat writer Mark Bowman.  

To take Iglesias' place on the active roster, the Braves recalled left-hander Dylan Dodd, who has shuttled between Atlanta and Triple-A Gwinnett. He was optioned to the minors April 13 after pitching three innings and striking out two on April 12 against the Cleveland Guardians. 

Robert Suarez more than capable in bullpen

Iglesias, 36, is 5-for-5 in his save opportunities and has not allowed an earned run in 8.2 innings. While Iglesias is out, the back end of the bullpen should be in capable hands, as right-hander Robert Suarez will likely fill in. 

A two-time All-Star (2024 and 2025), Suarez has 78 career saves and led the National League in saves (40) last season with the San Diego Padres. Suarez has been serving as Iglesias’ setup man this season. In 10 games, he is 2-0 with a 0.93 ERA, four holds and one save. 

Two Braves regulars are one step closer to rejoining the club

When there’s bad news, good news sometimes follows, which has happened here. Even though Iglesias landed on the injured list, two Braves, catcher Sean Murphy and right-hander Spencer Strider, took a step forward in their rehabs. 

Both Murphy and Strider had been playing with Atlanta Class A affiliate (Rome) and were promoted to Triple-A Gwinnett on Tuesday. Strider missed the start of this season with a left oblique strain, while Murphy was recovering from a right hip labral tear suffered in September 2025. 

Getting Strider and Murphy back will further boost a team that leads the National League East (16-7) heading into Tuesday's game at Washington.  

Murphy’s return will create a predicament for the Braves, as Weiss and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos will need to decide if they want to carry three catchers. Drake Baldwin and Jonah Heim are the current tandem behind the dish.