The Atlanta Braves are finally on the up after a sluggish start to the second half of the 2024 MLB season. Although it was a collective effort to turn things around, closer Raisel Iglesias was at the forefront of the club’s resurgence.
Iglesias was instrumental in Atlanta’s 3-2 overtime win over the Washington Nationals on Friday and was able to highlight his impressive performance on the mound, throwing two hitless innings to earn his third win of the season.
As Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out, Iglesias has been “unstoppable” of late. The Braves pitcher extended his streak of consecutive batter retirements against the Nationals to 38 before pressuring outfielder Dylan Young with a 95-mile-per-hour fastball. The right-hander recorded an impressive 10 perfect performances in that span!
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After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker acknowledged Igleasis’ remarkable performance and praised the 34-year-old for his selfless efforts.
“A lot of these closers are divas, and he’s the exact opposite of that,” Snitker said of Toscano.
The Braves got off to a slow start after the All-Star break, losing six of their first seven games. However, Iglesias helped the club get back on track and played a big part in their 8-3 record in their final 11 games.
With a 69-59 record and second place in the National League East, the Braves are five games behind the leading Philadelphia Phillies. Atlanta holds the third and final wild card spot, but the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants are catching up in the standings.
FanGraphs’ MLB playoff odds projections give the Braves an 80.2 percent chance of making the playoffs after beating the Nationals. Regardless, there’s still a lot of baseball left, so Atlanta can’t let up, and neither can Iglesias. The standout reliever will have to continue his incredible performance from the end of the year.
