The Braves placed closer Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day injured list due to shoulder inflammation this morning, per a team announcement. Lefty Dylan Dodd was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to take Iglesias’ spot on the active roster. Iglesias had an MRI which showed inflammation, no structural damage, per Chad Bishop of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The IL placement comes a few days after Atlanta skipper Walt Weiss had acknowledged that Iglesias was unavailable because he’d slept on his shoulder wrong (via MLB.com’s Mark Bowman). Weiss said at the time that Iglesias might be available the following day (Sunday), and he indeed pitched an inning in that game. He’s now headed to the IL and will miss at least two weeks of action. Weiss will likely provide further updates on Iglesias’ status later tonight, before the Braves take on the Nats in D.C.
Iglesias sat 94.8 mph with his four-seamer in 2025 and was close to that mark for his first several appearances of the current season. His heater sat 95 mph in an April 14 outing but dropped to 93.9 mph the following day and sat just 92.9 mph his last time out.
Iglesias re-signed with Atlanta on a one-year, $16MM deal over the offseason. He’s gotten out to another strong start, holding opponents scoreless on just five hits with an 11-to-1 K/BB ratio in his first 8 2/3 frames. The right-hander struggled early last season due to an uncharacteristic stretch of susceptibility to home runs, but since mid-June of last year, he’s rattled off 52 innings with a 1.04 ERA, 31.2% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate while converting 26 of 27 save attempts.
With Iglesias shelved, Atlanta will almost certainly turn to fellow free-agent addition Robert Suarez in the ninth inning. The former Padres closer, who inked a three-year, $45MM contract this offseason, picked up the save Saturday when Iglesias was unavailable and has been dominant as the Braves’ primary setup man this season. He’s held opponents to just one run on seven hits and a walk with 11 strikeouts in 9 2/3 frames. Suarez picked up 77 saves and 20 holds while pitching to a 2.91 ERA in four seasons with San Diego before signing in Atlanta this winter.
Dang at least we have Suarez but dang
As a SD fan I’ll say get your Rolaids ready. Over the course of the season he will get his results but each game it can be a roller coaster.
Will Smith was the Braves closer during their World Series run. Roller coasters in the 9th inning are status quo for Braves fans
Ughhhhhhhhj. Thanks for reminding me……
Not to mention Jansen, who was maddening. If his slow windup and hitch weren’t annoying enough to watch, he almost never had an easy inning. Seemed like every save was a 30 minute grind.
Padres might have three relievers better than Suarez.
Not counting guys on the IL, rest of NL other than Padres might only have three closers better than Suarez.
I got good news, Suarez. I’m takin’ you OUT.
We have two Suarez’s . Make sure you put the right one in Walt.
Interesting take, especially that second part, but I would state the Braves actually have two other relievers better than anyone on the Padres not named Miller. Lee and Kinley > Peralta and Rodriguez.
Of course that doesn’t necessarily mean your first point is incorrect.
UGA
I would take Adam and Morejon over Lee and Kinley. Morejon’s stats look ugly for 2026 but the ball is flying out of his hand.
Longtime
Could be interpreted two ways.
Rolaids used the be the award for reliever of the year.
But it is an antacid sometimes used for stress.
I think you meant it as in Suarez won’t make it easy even if he usually gets the job successfully done.
Iglesias can be the same way. Traffic.
C’mon LT, Suarez is very good. Keeps his OFers busy near the track at times, but very good. We’re just spoiled with Miller and that statue of Hoffy.
SD has been blessed for years – almost the entirety of the franchise, with awesome closers.
I’ll take RS but he will drive you off a cliff most nights waiting for that great defensive play or strikeout to avoid a blown save. He has his share of wins – most where he gave up the lead.
At the end of the year, his stats are good.
That HR in Philly a few years ago still haunts me.
It was a little amusing second half of last year when Miller was his set up man, but it was respectful…after all Suarez was the saves king in NL by a large margin
So, I’m already wondering about Morejon. Does he go for a closer role somewhere or will he be willing stay as set up man in SD?
Speaking of Suarez – odd to me that he took Atlanta with Iglesias alteady in place. Age and money, I guess.
Without a lot of saves in his history, Adrián may not be in line for big money – start with less than Scott received and work down to maybe 3/40 range?
This take is probably correct, but it should be worth noting that it fits about 60% of the closers in baseball. It’s a tough job and the other team is absolutely focused in on them every time out.
Closers just don’t get enough credit.
I saw an Angel fan compliment him Friday on one of these boards and I knew it was over for him.
Pen is definitely the one place we can absorb an injury because of how well the back end has been doing, but still less than ideal to lose to best closer in the NL not named Mason Miller.
Rather have him rest now and get healthy. Braves will need him down the stretch and the postseason.
Hope youre sitting down.
Its his shoulder, hes done man.
Find me one example of a mysteriously inflammed shoulder that didnt require surgery?
Matt LeBlanc Dislocated his shoulder during a FRIENDS episode filming, which I’m pretty sure didn’t require surgery.
Matt Le Blanc didn’t need his shoulder to throw or catch a ball
Sherzer, Kershaw, David Price, Woodruff (initially). If there’s no labrum tear, he may be back in a few weeks. if there is, then yes, he’s done.
Google is your friend.
Price never had a shoulder injury all tricep.
Kersh and Woodruff literally popped their capsules (not good)
Sherzers shoulder inflammation ended up being a nerve injury in hindsight.
Good luck
You’re making a blanket statement without facts, as if you have a monopoly on the truth. Confidence is one thing, but acting like every case fits one absolute rule is just unconvincing.
Michael King has a similar injury last year
Yikes! Not sure if I’m buying the ‘slept on his shoulder wrong’ but either way…very concerning. Depth will be tested..
You have never slept on your shoulder wrong and arm felt sore the next day? Im sure most have and thats without having to endure the workload an MLB pitchers arm endures. Not saying its likely true or not what they said. Just dont the explanation as being anything remotely outrageous or unlikely.
@tigers3232
Well said tigers I might not have the workload of a mlb pitcher but I can tell the times I did it the next few days sucked at work. Especially when your job requires swinging a hammer and carrying stuff like drywall
Tigers:
Outfieldfly said:
“Not sure if I’m buying the ‘slept on his shoulder wrong’”
You then agreed. “Not saying its likely true or not what they said.” But, then changed the subject and acted like he was talking about how bad stiff shoulders can feel.
@Breslow I was stating an indifference due to sometimes teams seem to be not all that forthcoming with information provided.
As for the explanation they had given, as I stated before it in no way seems to be an outrageous claim or something not very plausible.
Oh yeah, I’ve done that tons of time.
Another situation with a closer having loose bodies?
Padre fan here, Suarez did great for us here, you are in good shape.
I hope Suarez does better than Bryan Abreu.
He has already, and he has quite a bit more closing experience. Not like he’s doing something for the first time. Also, Tyler Kinley has looked the part of a dominant setup man and can replace Suarez as a 8th bridge.
Iglesias is always my answer for most underrated reliever in baseball history. Only pitcher ever with at least 250 saves, an ERA+ of 150 or better, and to have never made an ASG. Hope he’s not out too long. He got off to a good start and I was hoping he’d make his first mid-summer classic.
Yeah, don’t sleep on this guy
I have his 2022 baseball card somewhere in my closet or whatever.
The Suarez pickup is looking even better, but hope it’s a quick recovery for Iggy.
Closer epidemic continues…
I’ve slept on my shoulder wrong and could not throw for a week. It happens. He is also older than me than when I did it. It probably tingles, even when he throws and to make sure its not some radiculopathy or any other impairment, a little rest early in the season makes a lot of sense.
Man, what’s with all the NL closer chaos all of a sudden? Iglesias, Diaz, Palencia, Duran, Uribe/MeGill….
If the Braves didn’t put Iglesias did on the DL, The Angels Perry Minisian would have for them.