atlanta-the braves Has addressed one of his offseason priorities by re-signing Raisel Iglesias One-year, $16 million contract.
Atlanta announced the deal Wednesday.
Iglesias, a 35-year-old right-hander, signed a four-year, $58 million contract that paid him $16 million in each of the last three seasons.
The Braves also acquired a two-time Gold Glove winner mauricio dubon From Houston Astros For nick allen In exchange of fielders.
The 31-year-old Dubon appeared in 133 games with Houston last season and batted .241, earning his second Gold Glove each time as a utility infielder. He also won the award in 2023.
Dubon’s salary this year was $5 million, and he is eligible for salary arbitration. He can become a free agent after the 2026 World Series.
Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said that Dubon can play in the infield and outfield, and his role will be determined by what other moves the team makes this offseason. Anthopoulos said the Braves could still pursue the shortstop.
Anthopoulos said of Dubon, “I told him I don’t know yet what your role will be, but the fact that we have access to him playing everywhere… he’s a good actor.”
Allen, 27, is eligible for arbitration for the first time and can become a free agent after the 2029 season.
The 35-year-old Iglesias reached free agency after a slightly poor season for the Braves, in which his ERA increased to 3.21 after posting a 1.95 ERA in 2024. But after an uneven start he put in a strong performance. After posting a 4.42 ERA in 39 games in the first half, he recorded a 1.76 ERA in the second half and was successful in his final 18 save opportunities after July 28.
This was the longest streak without a save to close the season in the majors. Iglesias finished with 29 saves in 34 chances.
Anthopoulos said, “We knew we needed to address it closely in some way and who better than someone we know.” “He wanted to stay here. His first choice was to come back to Atlanta. I’m glad we were able to make it happen.”
One major aspect that changed for Iglesias in 2025 was his slider and less reliance on his changeup, which increased from 52% of the pitches he threw in 2024 to 38% in 2025. Both pitches were significantly less effective than Baseball Savant’s run value numbers, which puts a run value on every occurrence of a pitch thrown based on its outcome, collectively going from plus-13 runs to minus-10 runs in 2024. In 2025.
Since 2017, when Iglesias became the full-time closer, he ranks third in baseball in reliever WAR (11.8), behind only Edwin Diaz And josh haiderIglesias ranks second in saves (247) Kenley Johnson,
Iglesias spent the first six seasons of his professional career with cincinnati redswho signed the Cuban-born pitcher as an international free agent in June 2014. He made his professional debut in 2015 and starred for the Reds before leaving in free agency Los Angeles Angels In 2021, when he received a four-year, $58 million deal and finished 11th in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
The Angels sent Iglesias to the Braves at the 2022 trade deadline. In parts of four seasons as a closer, he posted 97 saves, a 15–12 record and a 2.35 ERA.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
