Braves Change Role for Much-Maligned Closer Raisel Iglesias: Report

Braves manager Brian Snitker left open the possibility of a change to Iglesias' role after he blew a save in Thursday's 11-10 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In the defeat, the Braves lost their first six-run lead in the ninth inning since 1973. Iglesias allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while facing seven batters. He recorded only two outs.

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

Iglesias was lights out for the Braves in the ninth inning role last season. He registered a 6-2 record with a 1.95 ERA, 0.736 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 69.1 innings across 66 appearances.

But this season, he is 3-5 with a 6.75 ERA, 1.542 WHIP and 25 strikeouts in 24 innings.

Iglesias has a 9.90 ERA and has allowed 20 hits in 10 innings over the past month. He's given up runs in eight of his most recent 11 appearances.

With Iglesias unreliable in the closer role, more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the Braves manager. Snitker will have to navigate how to use which relief pitcher in the right matchup in order for this new plan to work.

That's a complicated thing to accomplish. The most successful bullpens usually have definitive roles for each reliever.

After the weekend series versus the Giants, the Braves will travel to American Family Field to face the Milwaukee Brewers. They will return home for what should be an "easy" series against one of the worst teams in National League history versus the Colorado Rockies on June 13.