After missing the playoffs in 2025, the Braves’ bullpen will have a new, powerful arm who may very well be the team’s new closer in 2026. Robert Suarez, the NL league leader in saves last season, is headed to Atlanta.
A Look at Suarez
Once a setup man for the Padres, Robert Suarez took over the closer’s role for San Diego in 2024. What he did in the following two seasons was very good, as Suarez led Major League Baseball in total saves (76) over the last two years, five ahead of Emmanuel Clase (71).
Suarez notched 36 saves for San Diego during the 2024 season, followed by 40 in 2025. The right-hander, who first made his MLB debut in 2022 after pitching overseas, remained the closer for Mike Shildt during that stretch, even though the team acquired Tanner Scott and Mason Miller to work behind him.
He also finished with the 11th-best wOBA (.235) among relievers who pitched in at least 30 games last season.
The 34-year-old right-hander struck out 75 over 69.2 IP over the 2025 season, even though he’s not a high whiff pitcher. His whiff rates have been rated below the league median over the last few seasons.
High-velocity fastball that sits in the upper-90s, a pitch that plays exceptionally well up in the zone. Suarez mixed in a sinker at times last season, even though he once split up using his two-seamer and four-seamer at nearly the same rate in 2022 and 2023.
Suarez’s fastball is a buzzsaw when he can command it, one that can induce a lot of weak contact, defensive swings, and swings-and-misses.
And as noted below, Suarez has no problem sticking with the fastball in two-strike counts, even though he’ll mix it up when needed.
His primary secondary pitch is a changeup that averaged a little over 90 MPH, within that ideal seven to MPH separation range. Suarez threw his changeup more against lefties than righties, as expected. However, Suarez will throw it often against same-sided hitters.
Another worthwhile note to consider, given that Suarez called San Diego — friendlier to fly-ball pitchers than Atlanta — home over the last few seasons, is that his batted-ball profile leans more towards the fly-ball.
Per the team’s official announcement, the Braves have signed Robert Suarez to a three-year deal worth $45MM. He’ll make $13MM in 2026, and $16MM in 2027 and 2028.
Analysis
The Braves have been active this offseason, both on the waiver front and on the free agent market. Just yesterday, Atlanta picked up Mike Yastrzemski to fill an OF/DH role for the team, and last month, Raisel Iglesias.
Atlanta needed more depth in the bullpen, as the team declined to bring back Tyler Kinley and Pierce Johnson in the offseason. Instead, the Braves re-routed that money towards a proven high-leverage reliever who had a strong handle on the Padres’ closer job.
This signing will likely have consequences beyond the effect it has on the Braves. Yes, it does give the Braves a major matchup arm against other teams in the National League. However, Suarez becomes the last high-impact arm to come off the board.
There were some rumors in Canada that the Blue Jays made Suarez their top target. Toronto has a deep bullpen but one that saw Jeff Hoffman scuffle in the late innings at various points last season.
Additionally, the Mets lost Edwin Diaz after signing Devin Williams earlier in the winter. If the Mets wanted to add another impact reliever to pair with Williams in the late innings, Suarez would have made sense.
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