Braves Facing Decision After Raisel Iglesias’ Injury

Left-hander Dylan Dodd was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to fill the roster spot.  

With Iglesias shelved for the foreseeable future, Atlanta will have to choose who will take over closing duties. Fortunately for the team, they have Robert Suarez, one of the most dominant bullpen arms in the league. 

The 35-year-old led the NL with 40 saves for the San Diego Padres in 2025 before signing with the Braves on a three-year, $45 million contract, and has already picked up where he left off last season. Through his first 9 2/3 innings with the Braves, he has allowed just one run while striking out 11 batters. 

The depth behind him has been equally sharp. Atlanta has three relievers who have appeared in 10 games or more this season with an ERA below 1.00, including Suarez. The other two are Dylan Lee and Tyler Kinley. Both Lee and Kinley have struck out nine batters in 10 innings of work while allowing one run. 

Since being acquired from the Angels at the 2022 trade deadline, Iglesias has only hit the injured list once. He missed the start of the 2023 season with a shoulder injury before returning in early May and still appearing in 58 games that year. Having already gone through something like this before should provide the Braves with some reassurance as they monitor his recovery timeline. 

A greater question will be when Iglesias returns. Would Suarez head back to a setup man role or stay as a closer as Iglesias gets more reps and works his way back as the team’s closer? It’s a topic that Weiss and his staff will have to look at over the next few weeks. If Suarez keeps converting saves in the meantime, the Braves may have a decision to make even after Iglesias returns healthy.