No regrets are felt for keeping the Atlanta Braves closer around Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Braves Show No Regrets Keeping Raisel Iglesias Around

Originally posted on Atlanta Braves on SI
By Harrison Smajovits | Last updated Sep 9, 2025 1:01 PM ET

Raisel Iglesias picked up his 25th save of the year Monday night as the Atlanta Braves took down the Cubs, 4-1, to open their three-game series.

That brought his ERA since the trade deadline down to 0.53; he’s allowed just one run in that time and no home runs.

It’s easy to look back now and wonder why the Braves opted to hang onto him. He had looked closer to his old self over the month and a half before that, and general manager Alex Anthopoulos didn’t deny that offers came his way.

However, he said ahead of Monday’s game that teams were only willing to offer the team salary relief. Anthopoulos reiterated a previous sentiment that he was only going to move players at the deadline if they could provide a return that helps them in the future.

Asked if there was any regret he didn't move Iglesias before the Trade Deadline, Anthopoulos again said teams weren't willing to give the Braves anything more than salary relief. He was only going to move him if he received prospects who could help in the future
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) September 8, 2025

To some, anything in return would help for the future, including taking the salary relief, but that’s not how Anthopoulos approached it.

He would rather have the closer on the staff win Reliever of the Month with them instead of somewhere else if he doesn’t get the right offer.

The reason some would rather see him get something instead of nothing is that Iglesias is a free agent next season. If he walks, then he’s gone with nothing to show for it when the team needs to retool for next season.

On the flip side, if Iglesias is traded, then his time in Atlanta is done. It's unlikely he comes back in free agency. What the Yankees did with Aroldis Chapman in 2016, for example, is rare to the point that an example came to mind.

This isn’t an argument that Anthopoulos hasn’t heard. He knows this is a potential scenario, hence why he took phone calls at all. He probably would have preferred, given how this season was going, to get future pieces.

Perhaps he doesn’t want to establish a precedent that he’s willing to sell off players for nothing. He could have had direct orders to keep him unless it was the right circumstance; it’s easy to forget that not every move is up to him.

This is all speculation in the attempt to get inside his headspace.

For what it’s worth, there is evidence that Anthopoulos was willing to make a move if he felt it helped. Rafael Montero was traded to the Tigers for minor league infielder Jim Jarvis.

Jarvis was seen as someone who could be part of the plan in the future. Anthopoulos pulled the trigger on the move.

In the end, Iglesias hurt his trade stock with the tough start he had. Had he pitched better from the start, the Braves likely would have gotten a better haul. That was a talking point well before the deadline, and it remains one now.