Dylan

Lee

Lee got a popup to start the inning, but he then gave up doubles to Mike Trout and Jo Adell, with a walk of Taylor Ward mixed in. He was lifted at that point, and both inherited runners came around to score off Enyel De Los Santos. It definitely seems like a setback for Lee in the battle for save chances in Atlanta. Alas, the team still isn’t generating many right now. Lee and Raisel Iglesias recorded saves on back-to-back days last Monday and Tuesday, but those are the team’s only two saves since May 16.

After 30 games without a save, the Braves have recorded them in back-to-back games. This wasn’t supposed to be a save situation, but Enyel De Los Santos got into trouble in a 7-3 game in the ninth, giving up hits to two of the three batters he faced. Iglesias came in and allowed an RBI double with two outs before Francisco Lindor grounded out to end the game. It’s his first save since May 16. Dylan Lee, who got the final four outs Monday, is probably still the favorite for saves in Atlanta for the moment. Iglesias figures to get Tuesday off after working consecutive days.

Raisel Iglesias had the Braves’ previous save on May 16. The team had just one ninth-inning save chance in 30 games since, and that was blown by Iglesias on June 5, costing him his job and elevating Lee. However, it appeared over the weekend that Iglesias might be back closing again, as Lee served as a setup man Saturday. Nevertheless, the Braves arranged things for Lee to close tonight. Iglesias started the eighth and gave up a pair of singles while recording two outs. With Juan Soto due up, the Braves brought in the left-handed Lee early, and Lee threw some of his hardest sliders of the season in striking Soto out. Just one of Lee’s 16 pitches tonight was a fastball, but it checked in at 96.7 mph versus Soto. That’s 2.9 mph harder than his season average. Anyway, it looks like Lee is still a viable candidate for saves for now.

There was no save chance today with the Braves scoring once in the eighth and three in the ninth to make it a 7-0 game, but the usage of Lee suggests that Raisel Iglesias would have closed for the first time since losing the gig 16 days ago. Lee had since been lined up to close, though the Braves hadn’t presented him with any save chances. In fact, no one on the team has recorded a save since way back on May 16.

Iglesias got the soft part of the order with the automatic runner on and retired Jared Young, Francisco Alvarez and Ronny Mauricio. Iglesias has pitched three scoreless innings since his June 5 blown save and loss cost him the closer’s role. Perhaps he’ll earn another save opportunity soon, but that would require the Braves generate one. Dylan Lee, who worked a scoreless ninth tonight, appears to be the Braves’ closer at the moment, but he hasn’t had a chance to notch a save since Iglesias lost the job.

Lee appears to be the Braves’ closer for the moment, but the team hasn’t actually been able to get him any save chances since Raisel Iglesias lost the job. Maybe it’s the baseball gods’ way of telling Brian Snitker that Lee was more valuable as a matchup guy. In his last three outings, he’s pitched with the score 7-1, 12-4 and now 4-0. Prior to this, 25 of Lee’s 29 appearances had come in games in which the teams were within two runs of each other.

The Braves seem to have settled on Iglesias in the eighth and Dylan Lee in the ninth for now, but it’s not working out for Lee; both times he’s been in position to close, the Braves offense has added on and turned it into a non-save situation. That was the case tonight; Iglesias pitched in a three-run game before the Braves scored five times in the bottom of the eighth. Lee then followed with a scoreless ninth. We’d still say Iglesias is the better use of a roster spot in fantasy leagues, even though Lee probably will get some save chances in the short term.

Iglesias struck out Jackson Chourio and Christian Yelich, with William Contreras hitting a routine flyout in between. Iglesias has lost his hold on the closer’s gig in Atlanta after blowing his fourth save on Thursday, but it’s hard to see how any of the other righties in the Braves bullpen are better bets going forward. Southpaw Dylan Lee, who finished up tonight’s game, might be, but he’s also likely more valuable being matched up against tough lefties. Iglesias is worth considering in leagues in which he was dropped.

Snitker declined to name a specific stopper, but added that Iglesias isn’t going to be the primary option anymore. The 35-year-old veteran played a prominent role during a Chernobyl-sized meltdown against the Diamondbacks on Thursday when Atlanta coughed up a six-run lead in the final frame. He’s struggled to a calamitous 6.75 ERA across 24 innings (25 appearances) this season, while converting just eight of 12 save opportunities. It’ll likely be some combination of Iglesias, Dylan Lee, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer and Enyel De Los Santos in the mix for save chances. It’s a situation fantasy managers should try to avoid at all costs.

Lee hasn’t gotten much work in close games through the years, but he has a 2.58 ERA in 136 innings for the Braves since debuting in 2021. He should be in line for a more significant bullpen role now with A.J. Minter gone and Joe Jiménez hurt. However, he does have options remaining if the Braves ever want to stash him in Triple-A again. It happened twice last year.