Raisel Iglesias had been waiting a week for his next save opportunity. He nearly had to wait a bit longer.
The Braves’ flame-throwing closer was going to pitch the top of the ninth Tuesday against the Marlins regardless of the score. Then Dominic Smith flipped the script with a two-out, three-run double to give the Braves a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth at Truist Park.
Iglesias’ mission quickly went from hold them to shut them down.
“I think it’s no secret that for closers there’s that level of adrenaline when you’re kind of doing your job out there and you’re put in these situations,” Iglesias said via team interpreter Franco Garcia. “And so, while you’re warming up, you’re kind of just going through your routine and everything, and as (Smith) sort of put us up ahead, it definitely sort of spiked my adrenaline and got me going.”
Iglesias struck out Connor Norby on four pitches to start the ninth, fanned Javier Sanoja on four more and needed just two pitches to get Graham Pauley to pop out to center field.
The save was Iglesias’ third of the season, but more notably, his 100th with the Braves.
“I’m really happy to be able to record that save No. 100 here with the Braves, who, I feel like from Day 1, have embraced me as family,” Iglesias said. “And I feel like that’s how we operate within this clubhouse on and off the field. We’re all basically each others’ family.
“I’m just super happy to get No. 100 here with the team. I didn’t know going out there (for the top of the ninth), I just kind of went out and tried to do my usual business and, obviously, just try to preserve the game and record the save after a hard-fought battle.”
Iglesias’ career began in 2015 with the Reds, and the Cuban has racked up 256 saves in 11-plus seasons. He is one of 19 pitchers in MLB history to record 100 saves with multiple teams and joined Craig Kimbrel, Aroldis Chapman and Edwin Díaz as the only active relievers on that list.
His first save with the Braves came Aug. 13, 2022, in a 6-2 win against the Marlins in Miami. Atlanta had traded pitchers Jesse Chavez and Tucker Davidson to the Angels for Iglesias on Aug. 2.
Iglesias, Kimbrel (186), John Smoltz (154) and Mark Wohlers (112) are the only Braves with at least 100 saves. Iglesias has converted 21 straight save opportunities dating to July 28, 2025, the longest active streak in the majors and longest for a Braves pitcher since Kimbrel’s run of 26 straight in 2013.
Iglesias has pitched 19⅓ consecutive scoreless innings and has not allowed a home run since July 19, 2025, a stretch of 35⅓ innings.
“Iggy, he’s just a timeless wonder,” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “He’s still throwing the ball like he did several years ago. That’s pretty special.”
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