Prior to tonight’s game against the San Francisco Giants, MLB.com’s Braves reporter Mark Bowman posted that embattled Atlanta Braves closer Raisel Iglesias is not available for tonight’s game and he future usage as the team’s closer is no longer certain.
Iglesias won’t be available today. Moving forward, he may close games, but he won’t necessarily be the Braves’ primary closer. Snit said Kimbrel will be used at any point after the fifth. There isn’t an obvious closer option. The mix-and-match will be interesting
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) June 7, 2025
Iglesias has become unreliable after two fruitful seasons as the team’s closer. He has been homer-prone this year, allowing seven home runs in only 24 innings, leading to an eye-opening 6.75 ERA. His average fastball velocity is down one MPH to 94.7 MPH and his strikeout rate of 23.1-percent is the lowest in his 11-year career.
As made official earlier today, the Braves have selected the contract of Craig Kimbrel, the team’s one-time star closer and all-time leader in saves. Now 37, he isn’t the same pitcher as he was a decade ago, and Bowman reports that Braves manager Brian Snitker will use him in a variety of roles.
With Daysbel Hernandez on the 15-day IL and his future availability unknown combined with the uncertainty of Joe Jimenez’s return this season, the Braves may lean on the team’s remaining high-leverage relievers, Dylan Lee and Pierce Johnson, in the closer’s role.
Aaron Bummer and Enyel De Los Santos have been pitching well, primarily in lower-leverage opportunities. The team recalled lefty Dylan Dodd earlier today but he’s only pitched 1.2 innings in Atlanta this season.
The team still has Rafael Montero rostered as well.
