Braves closer is streaking toward baseball history
Atlanta Braves pitcher Raisel Iglesias.
Jordan Godfree-USA TODAY Sports
The Atlanta Braves are currently in a wild-card playoff spot, and closer Raisel Iglesias’s incredible form has contributed to that positioning.
Iglesias helped Atlanta put away the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday night, retiring the final three batters in the ninth inning.
He’s now retired 35 straight batters and hasn’t given up an earned run since June 16, striking out 29 in that span.
Raisel Iglesias hasn’t given up an earned run since June 16! pic.twitter.com/IumuR3a34S
— MLB (@MLB) August 23, 2024
The 34-year-old right-hander’s streak is now the franchise’s longest since 1955 and the longest by a Braves pitcher in the MLB expansion era (since 1961), per Elias Sports Bureau.
If he keeps up the hot pitching, Iglesias could find himself on an illustrious list.
Four more perfect innings by Iglesias — of which he’s had 11 straight in this stretch — would tally him 12 more retired batters, passing the record set by then-San Francisco Giants closer Yusmeiro Petit in 2014 with 46.
On his way to that mark, he would also pass Tom Browning (40 straight batters in 1988), Bobby Jenks (41 in 2007), Jim Barr (41 in 1972) and Mark Buehrle (45 in 2009).
Iglesias’ perfect pitching could make Atlanta one of the most feared teams heading into the playoff hunt, especially when playing from a deficit.
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