The Atlanta Braves are about to get their offseason underway, and they know exactly what they must do to build a successful team for 2026. One of their biggest needs this winter is the bullpen. Earlier in the season, closer Raisel Iglesias was widely assumed to be a player the Braves would not re-sign.
“We can’t be sure that Iglesias’ going rate won’t balloon to a point that makes Anthopoulos squeamish. The Braves typically lock up their guys ahead of time to avoid the pricey competition of the open market, so the fact that Iglesias is hitting free agency—even after surviving the trade deadline, against all odds—does not bode especially well for the Braves’ odds of keeping him. After two middling seasons in a row, and with change in the air, Atlanta probably bows out of the Iglesias bidding war early to focus on younger, perhaps internal options,” FanSided’s Christopher Kline wrote.
Now that the offseason is here, there’s some belief that Iglesias could still be an option.
“When Atlanta didn’t trade Raisel Iglesias this season, some fans wondered if this was a sign the closer would stick around beyond this year. Well, he could have been traded and still re-signed this offseason. But now, he could just be re-signed,” Braves insider Bowman wrote.
However, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal believes the Braves could instead pursue New York Mets closer Edwin Díaz.
“With Raisel Iglesias currently out the door, the Braves will need a new closer. Rosenthal attributed the desire to increase payroll in Atlanta, along with the bullpen being one of the top priorities, as to why Diaz could be a candidate,” SI’s Harrison Smajovitts wrote.
Díaz would be an upgrade over Iglesias, especially with his fastball–slider mix. He also just won Reliever of the Year for the third time in his career.
Signing Díaz would be a major move, but there are many factors involved. It will be interesting to see whether the Braves can lure a division rival to join the organization.
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Hunter Cookston began his career as a sportswriter for the Marion Tribune, where he covered local high school football, basketball and baseball. His passion for sports started at the age of four when he played his first year of tee ball. Growing up in Tennessee, he developed a deep love for the Tennessee Volunteers and Atlanta Braves. Hunter is currently attending Tennessee Wesleyan University, where he is pursuing a BA in Sports Communications/Management.