The Atlanta Braves have plenty of people to blame for their 26-29 start, and their bullpen has a handful of culprits.
Closer Raisel Iglesias hasn’t pitched well at all, which is unfortunate given that he’ll be a free agent this winter. On the whole, Atlanta’s bullpen has -0.2 fWAR, which is the third-worst mark of any team in Major League Baseball.
Clearly, the Braves will need Iglesias (5.91 ERA) to step up. But there’s been a lot of strain on setup men like Daysbel Hernandez and Dylan Lee, and reinforcements will be necessary if Atlanta intends to compete for the postseason.
One baseball writer believes Atlanta could be in play for a former All-Star closer, either to supplant Iglesias or help bridge the gap to him in the late innings.
On Friday, Zach Pressnell of FanSided named Baltimore Orioles closer Félix Bautista as a top potential trade target for the Braves this summer.
“Félix Bautista is in a similar boat to (St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan) Helsley, but he might be even more expensive in a deal considering he has a few years left of arbitration,” Pressnell wrote.
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“The righty hasn’t rebounded from Tommy John surgery as well as expected, but he’s still been good. The issue here is that the Orioles might not sell aggressively enough to part ways with their star closer. The Braves would need to give up a lot of prospects to make this potential deal a reality.”
In 2023, Bautista was one of the most electric closers in the game, striking out 110 batters in 61 innings, posting a 1.48 ERA, and earning his first All-Star nod. But in his return from Tommy John, his walk rate has spiked, giving him a 3.78 ERA through 17 appearances.
Considering the fact that Bautista won’t be a free agent until 2028, the Orioles might not be willing to listen to offers while he’s pitching below his ceiling. One never knows if the Braves might have an offer up their sleeve that blows them out of the water, though.
More MLB: Braves might cut ties with $81 million 3x All-Star if struggles continue
