Braves closer Raisel Iglesias lands on injured list; Robert Suarez to step in
The Braves have taken the first significant hit to their pitching staff since the regular season started. Raisel Iglesias has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, the club announced Tuesday.
Iglesias earned his fifth save Sunday in the Braves’ 4-2 win against the Phillies in Philadelphia, but the 36-year-old had to work for it. He gave up a double and a walk and needed Ronald Acuña Jr.’s running catch in the right field corner to preserve the victory.
It was a 21-pitch inning for Iglesias, whose average fastball was at 93 mph (down from his average of 94 mph this season).
On Saturday, Robert Suarez saved a 3-1 game for the Braves. Afterward, manager Walt Weiss said, “Iggy slept on his shoulder a little weird, so there was some stiffness there. I was gonna stay away from Iggy tonight.”
The injured list move for Iglesias is backdated to Monday, meaning he would be eligible to return to the bullpen the first week of May.
In the meantime, the Braves will turn to Suarez, an All-Star with the Padres the past two seasons. The right-hander has allowed one run and seven hits in his 10 appearances, logging 9⅔ innings while striking out 11.
In Saturday’s save opportunity against the Phillies, Suarez threw 14 pitches, one of which topped out at 100.7 mph, and got four whiffs on seven swings.
Suarez signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Braves in December.
“That’s the beauty of having another closer down there,” Weiss said Saturday. “Suarez came in, and his stuff was big-time. It was big stuff. He really rose to the occasion there. That was dominant stuff from Suarez. It’s a luxury having a couple closers down there.”
The Braves also announced Tuesday that left-handed reliever Dylan Dodd has been recalled to take Iglesias’ roster spot.
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