Yesterday one of my favorite free agent relief targets came off the board. Evan Phillips signed with the Braves on a 3-year $35 million deal. I was enamored by Phillips due to his track record and how good he looked coming off of Tommy John. Based on the deal he got, the league seemed to agree with me.
It is a bummer to miss out on Phillips, but the fact he signed with the Braves opens up another opportunity. This move means that long-time Braves closer Raisel Iglesias is unlikely to return to Atlanta.
I would not be surprised if the Nats pursue Iglesias pretty heavily for reasons we will get into.
The first reason Iglesias would be a target is because of his performance. He is a grizzled veteran with a ton of experience in the 9th inning. Iglesias has 287 career saves, so the moment will never be too big for him. While he turns 37 in January, Iglesias has shown no signs of slowing down.
Last season, the right hander posted a 2.55 ERA in 59 outings, while converting 34 of his 37 save attempts. Iglesias has been a good closer for a decade now, but his time with the Braves was the best of his career. In five seasons, Iglesias posted a 2.39 ERA with 131 saves.
In addition to the performance, there is one other factor that makes Iglesias uniquely attractive. Due to his age, he is unlikely to command a multi-year deal. Reports have come out that the Nats are hesitant to give out multi-year deals to relievers. With Iglesias, they can get the best of both worlds. He is still a highly capable closer, but he is also limited to a one year deal.
Do not get it twisted, this does not mean Iglesias will come cheap. Last offseason, he signed a 1-year $16 million deal to return to the Braves. After another great year, he is likely to command a similar sort of contract. That might make the Nats braintrust a little uneasy, but I would give Iglesias that sort of deal.
We saw what it was like not to have a real closer last year, and it was not pretty. If Paul Toboni and the Nats are unwilling to throw out multi-year contracts, this is the best closer available to them. It is just a move that makes a ton of sense.
Iglesias gets his results due to a combination of funk, movement and enough raw stuff. He is a master at getting hitters to chase. The right hander has ranked in the 90th percentile or better in chase rate every year since 2020. This season, he was in the 99th percentile, with hitters chasing 39% of the pitches Iglesias threw out of the strike zone.
The primary driver of this is his nasty changeup. It has been a major weapon in his arsenal for many years now. Iglesias’ changeup tunnels so well off his mid-90’s fastball. Hitters think the pitch is a heater before it tumbles outside of the zone. Iglesias also has impeccable command of the offering.
That changeup is his money pitch, but Iglesias also throws a 4-seamer, a sinker and a slider. All these pitches come out of a funky, low slot delivery. For most of his career, Iglesias has had healthy strikeout numbers while not walking many people. That was no different in 2026, with Iglesias striking out 26.8% of batters while only walking 7.1%.
There has been talk the Nats are looking for late inning experience, but do not want to offer multi-year deals. If that is the case, there is no better candidate than Raisel Iglesias. There is some risk due to his age, but even if it does not work out, it would only be a one-year deal.
Paul Toboni should offer Raisel Iglesias a 1-year $16 million deal to stay in the NL East and close games for the Nats. Iglesias has proven his skillset can age gracefully and he has a ton of closer experience. The Nats can get their 9th inning guy without committing to a multi-year deal.
If the team is competing for the wild card, Iglesias can be a rock in the 9th inning. Even if they fall out of the race, Iglesias would likely be a valuable commodity at the deadline. The fit is just so clear here, now we have to see if it actually happens.
