Robert Suarez 2026 Fantasy Baseball Outlook: Dominant High-Leverage Arm, No Longer a Reliable Source of Saves
Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Robert Suarez has been one of the best closers in baseball over the past two seasons, compiling 76 saves with a 2.87 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and 134 strikeouts across 134 2/3 innings pitched for the San Diego Padres. Suarez hit free agency this past winter, and Atlanta rewarded the 34-year-old with a three-year, $45 million contract. However, the Braves also re-signed incumbent closer Raisel Iglesias to a one-year deal, and reportedly plan to utilize Suarez in a high-leverage role. The 36-year-old Iglesias showed some signs of decline in 2025, but he still finished the year with a 3.21 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, and 29 saves. Iglesias has recorded 97 saves for Atlanta since joining the team in the middle of the 2022 season, so it would likely take an injury or an extended stretch of poor performance for him to be removed from the ninth inning. Suarez has a career 0.98 WHIP and recorded a 21.9% K-BB rate in 2025, so he can still help fantasy managers with their ratios while recording the occasional save when Iglesias needs a day off. Still, Suarez can no longer be counted on as a reliable closer. With a current average draft position of pick 165, Suarez may be overpriced by the market unless Iglesias misses significant time.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
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