The Atlanta Braves have a top-tier closer, so some might assume their bullpen was lights-out in 2024.
Sadly, that wasn’t the case, though Raisel Iglesias had some stretched of incredible dominance. Braves relievers had a clutch rating of 0.86 (per Fangraphs), which placed them 14th among Major League Baseball teams in 2024.
Plus, Iglesias’ primary setup man last season, Joe Jimenez, could miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery at the end of October. So if the Braves didn’t already project to need relief pitching help, they definitely do now.
So far, Atlanta hasn’t signed a single major-league reliever, but there’s still time for that to change. In fact, one recent free-agent projection sees them landing the best reliever still on the board.
On Friday, Just Baseball’s Ryan Finkelstein predicted that the Braves would sign David Robertson, a 16-year veteran who has a World Series championship and an All-Star Game on his resume dating back to his early days with the New York Yankees.
“Robertson could really fit any team who needs some relief help but is likely looking to latch on with a contender,” Finkelstein wrote. “The Braves fit that billing, it’s just a matter of whether they are willing to spend for a reliever of Roberton’s caliber.”
This past season, Robertson pitched to an excellent 3.00 ERA and 2.65 FIP in 72 innings, racking up 99 strikeouts–the most of any reliever still available in free agency. He’s entering his age-40 season, but he’s showing no signs at all of slowing down.
The Braves could easily win a couple more one-run games in 2025 just by virtue of having Robertson keep the save in order for Iglesias. And in the uber-competitive NL East, a couple more wins might be the difference between a division title and a first-round exit.
More MLB: Cubs trade idea dumps $85 million superstar to Red Sox for two top prospects
