Jeff Passan believes Braves closer’s slow start warrants panic

The Braves have won nine of their last 11 games and will look to get to .500 for the first time this season today, which is shocking after the 0-7 start to begin the 2025 campaign.

They’ve done it by slugging. The Atlanta offense is now among baseball’s best since that god awful start, and they’re doing it in a variety of ways. They’ve been hitting bombs, of course, but over their last few games, they haven’t hit one home run and have still been racking up runs.

The offense must carry this club too because the pitching staff leaves much to be desired. The rotation should improve when Spencer Strider returns, and hopefully, Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach find their grooves.

What’s most concerning is the bullpen, which is filled with a bunch of minor league arms. There’s no Spencer Strider or Ronald Acuna Jr. coming to save the relief core either. The only hope the Braves have is the trade deadline, which is still several months away. Alex Anthopoulos will likely be looking for a number of relievers, and possibly even a new closer.

Raisel Iglesias has struggled through the first month of the season, posting a 5.73 ERA and 7.72 FIP after being one of the best ninth-inning men in baseball a year ago. And though it’s only been one month, Jeff Passan believes Iglesias’ slow start warrants panic. 

“In 11 innings, Iglesias has given up more home runs (five) than he did in 69⅓ innings last year (four). He weathered a precipitous dip in strikeout rate last season, but his slider — always a strength — is catching too much of the strike zone and being ambushed,” Jeff Passan writes for ESPN.

The ERA and FIP numbers are worrisome. However, Raisel Iglesias’ 1.091 WHIP is not too far off from his career average. Most of his metrics are pretty close to his 2023 and 2024 figures, except for one — home runs per nine innings. The veteran is giving up an unprecedented 4.1 HR/9.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned at all, but I’m not ready to hit the panic button and demand Alex Anthopoulos find a new closer. Raisel Iglesias deserves the benefit of the doubt to figure it out. Since he was acquired at the 2022 trade deadline, he boasts a 2.22 ERA with the Braves to go along with 73 saves. Let’s wait a little longer than a month before declaring him cooked.

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David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

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