wMar 1, 2025; North Port, Florida, USA; A detail view of Atlanta Braves hat, sunglasses and glove in the dugout during the fifth inning at CoolToday Park. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

This Atlanta Braves Free Agent Could Solve Two Problems for the A's This Offseason

Originally posted on Oakland Athletics on SI
By Jason Burke | Last updated Oct 28, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The Athletics will likely be after some pitching this offseason, and one pitcher could end up settling two spots on the roster. They could either add a veteran to the rotation, which could in turn push a young arm with loads of talent (and some injury history) to the bullpen in Jack Perkins, or they could sign a veteran bullpen arm that could be in that late-inning mix, effectively keeping Perkins a starter.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic linked a number of pending free agents to the A's this winter, but one of the more intriguing ones was Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.

He certainly fits a need for the A's, as the club had five different players earn a save over the final two months of the season once they'd traded Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres. That versatility also led the A's to having the second-best bullpen ERA in that span at 2.99.

Over his 11-year career, Iglesias holds a 2.90 ERA and has saved at least 29 games in four of the last five seasons. Over the past three seasons with Atlanta, the 35-year-old right-hander has held a 2.62 ERA with a 0.957 WHIP and a 161 ERA+ (100 is league average). He has been a stellar reliever even in the later stages of his career.

Given that he's heading into his age-36 campaign, there's a high likelihood that he won't be after a huge contract, with Bowden pegging him at two years, $24 million. That's certainly affordable for the A's, if they're after a veteran relief pitcher and willing to spend on that specific role.

Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

We've also mentioned in the past that the A's haven't had the best of luck when they go out and secure bullpen arms that are a bit costly, with Jim Johnson being the most glaring example. For a team that hasn't spent a ton of money in the past, adding a big-ticket relief pitcher is great if it works out, but if it doesn't, then that's money that could have been spread around.

This past season Iglesias held a 3.21 ERA with a 3.31 FIP, which is fine, but he also appeared to lose some velocity on his fastball, and some movement across the board on his pitch mix. His ability to spot pitches will help him continue to pitch well, but if the A's are going to spend that kind of money on a relief pitcher, they may want more of a sure thing.

Iglesias could very well be great next season, but the A's have had success finding effective relief pitchers off the scrap heap the past few off-seasons, so spending big on a ninth inning guy may not be the direction the decide to head down.

How the A's approach their bullpen this winter could come down to how high the front office is on guys like Elvis Alvarado to repeat his performance from 2025 into 2026.

In addition to the A's, the Braves, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles and Cincinnati Reds were all listed as potential fits.

This article first appeared on Oakland Athletics on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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