Braves Calling Up Former All-Star Reliever Amid Closer Uncertainty: Report

Kimbrel is a nine-time All-Star. He made his first four All-Star teams with the Braves from 2011-14.

The Braves have yet to confirm the transaction. When they do, the team will have to announce a corresponding move.

After Thursday's loss, Braves manager Brian Snitker suggested it was too early to say changes were coming to the team's bullpen. But Snitker didn't rule out altering Iglesias' role.

"We'll talk about that. This is so fresh right now," Snitker said. "I've got a thousand things going through my mind, and that's an option. That's definitely an option."

Iglesias came into Thursday having allowed a run in seven of his last 10 appearances. Including Thursday, he's posted a 9.58 ERA since May 8.

Iglesias has blown two saves during that stretch. Last season, he had 34 saves with a 1.95 ERA and 0.736 WHIP for the Braves. But opposing batters have hit his slider very well this season.

Moving away from that pitch, Iglesias has begun to throw more change-ups. Against the Diamondbacks on Thursday, all four of the hits he allowed came against the change-up.

"He's just not executing pitches. Execution. The stuff is there; he's just not executing," Snitker said. "It's tough. He's been struggling with that for awhile now.

"He's struggling like a lot of us are on this team right now."

Kimbrel has registered 440 saves in his MLB career, 186 of which came with the Braves from 2010-14. That makes him an option to replace Iglesias in the ninth inning for Atlanta.

Kimbrel registered 23 saves with the Baltimore Orioles last season. Braves Country should keep in mind, though, that Kimbrel also had a 5.33 ERA in 2024.