The Atlanta Braves They announced this Wednesday that they reached an agreement for one season with Cuban star closer Raisel Iglesias.
The team reported that the agreement will give Iglesias a salary of $16 million for the 2026 campaign, which equals the amount that the 35-year-old reliever has earned in the past three seasons.
The pact guarantees that Iglesias will return for his fifth season with the Atlanta team, for whom in his four years he has 97 games saved, with an effectiveness percentage of 2.35 in 222 games pitched.
Braves, RHP Raisel Iglesias agree to 1-year deal. pic.twitter.com/pdRFa0dSa3
—MLB (@MLB) November 20, 2025
Iglesias, who in his repertoire combines a sinker, which usually travels around 95 miles per hour, with a changeup and a slider, was the centerpiece of the Braves’ relief corps.
Last season, the Isla de la Juventud native pitched in 70 games and was the leader in games finished (57) in the National League, while completing 29 of the 34 save opportunities in which he took the mound.
Iglesias finished the contest with a 3.21 earned run percentage allowed, after allowing 24 runs in 67.1 innings, in which he struck out 73.
The Cuban, whose record this season was 4-6, was indecipherable in the second half of the season, marked after the All-Star break, a period in which he pitched 30.1 innings, in which he barely scored a run, placing his effectiveness percentage at 1.76 in 31 games.
36.2 innings! The Dodgers end Raisel Iglesias’ immaculate streak
In this final part of the campaign, Iglesias struck out 31 and saved 18 games, forcing his rivals to hit for an average of just .136.
With 253 games saved in his career, Iglesias is tied with Puerto Rican Edwin Díaz for the fourth highest total of saves among active pitchers in the Major Leagues, only behind Curacao’s Kenley Jansen (476), Craig Kimbrel (440) and his compatriot Aroldis Chapman (367).
