Braves $45 million signing has proven to be worth every penny originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Despite all the injuries to the pitching staff, the Atlanta Braves have proven to be the best team in Major League Baseball. The first team to reach 20 wins on the season (20-9), the Braves have the second-best offense (.274 batting average and .793 OPS), while the pitching staff ranks first in team ERA (3.12). The New York Yankees (3.26) and the Los Angeles Dodgers (3.28) are not far behind.
One area of the Braves roster that has shown gusto, even with all the injuries, has been in the backend of the bullpen. While closer right-hander Raisel Iglesias has been on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation, right-hander Robert Suarez has been a great fill-in.
Signing a three-year ($45 million) contract over the offseason, Suarez has been dominant as the Braves' setup man. In 13 games this season, Suarez is 2-0 with a 0.71 ERA, with four holds.
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Now that he's asked to go back to closing — Suarez was the San Diego Padres closer before joining the Braves, recording 77 career saves in four seasons and leading the National League with 40 in 2025 — Suarez has recorded three saves in three opportunities.
“Suarez has given the Braves no reason to regret the three-year, $45 million deal they gave him in December,” wrote MLB.com’s Mark Bownan. “The hard-throwing reliever led the National League with 40 saves last year and he has been a capable replacement while Atlanta closer Raisel Iglesias has been on the injured list. Suarez has allowed just one run while totaling 11 2/3 innings through his first 12 appearances. His four-seam fastball, which has averaged 98.6 mph, remains his go-to pitch. But his cutter usage has increased and he’s gotten a 40 percent whiff rate with the pitch.”
Iglesias is expected to return to the roster sometime in May, as he's eligible to be activated from the injured list on May 5. Once he returns, Suarez should slide back into his role as the Braves' setup man.
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