Braves land Raisel Iglesias from Angels
The Atlanta Braves bolstered their bullpen in a big way, acquiring reliever Raisel Iglesias from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for veteran right-hander Jesse Chavez and left-hander Tucker Davidson, the teams announced.
Iglesias adds even more firepower to a stacked Braves bullpen that already includes Kenley Jansen, Collin McHugh, and A.J. Minter. He also replaces Will Smith, who was dealt to Houston on Monday.
The 32-year-old has saved 16 games for the Angels this season while tallying a 3.17 FIP, 1.07 WHIP, and 48 strikeouts to just nine walks. While his 4.09 ERA is his highest since 2019, he's one year removed from a stellar campaign that saw him strike out 103 batters and receive down-ballot Cy Young votes.
L.A. re-signed Iglesias to a four-year, $58-million contract last offseason. He'll earn $16 million in each of the next three seasons.
Chavez joins his third team of the season after having started 2022 with the Chicago Cubs before being traded to Atlanta. The 38-year-old, who was part of the Braves' 2021 championship club, posted a 2.11 ERA and 2.54 FIP with 47 strikeouts in 31 outings for Atlanta. He previously pitched for the Angels in 2017.
Davidson, 26, owns a 5.11 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 25 walks across parts of three big-league seasons. He's spent most of 2022 at Triple-A Gwinnett.