Atlanta Braves Sign Closer Robert Suarez to Three-Year, $45 Million Contract
Closer Robert Suarez has signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Atlanta Braves, the team announced on December 11, 2025. This significant move strengthens the Braves’ bullpen, bringing in one of the game’s top closers to join forces with incumbent closer Raisel Iglesias.
Suarez, who led the National League with 40 saves in 45 chances this season, became a free agent in early November after opting out of $8 million options for 2026 and 2027. His decision to join the Braves was influenced by the team’s competitive history and the positive feedback he received from players like Jurickson Profar and Ronald Acuña Jr.
Suarez’s Impressive Career
Over the past two seasons, Suarez established himself as a dominant closer for the San Diego Padres, making two All-Star teams and posting a 2.87 ERA. He saved a major league-leading 76 games, striking out 75 batters in 69 innings last season while maintaining a career-low 5.9% walk rate. Notably, his fastball still averaged 98.6 mph, even at the age of 34.
A native of Venezuela, Suarez initially played professionally in Mexico before spending five seasons pitching in Japan. His impressive performance for the Hanshin Tigers in 2020 and 2021 caught the attention of Padres officials, leading to his initial one-year, $6 million major league contract. He later signed a more lucrative deal worth $30 million from 2023 to 2025.
Joining the Braves’ Bullpen
Suarez joins Raisel Iglesias, who re-signed with the Braves on a one-year, $16 million contract last month, in the back end of the team’s bullpen. Iglesias had 29 saves in 34 chances last season. Suarez expressed his willingness to contribute to the team’s success, stating, “I’m willing to do whatever needs to be done, to just add my little grain of sand in the effort to help the team win in any which way.”
According to Suarez, the Braves’ competitive history and positive team culture played a significant role in his decision. “As far as I can remember, they’ve always been competitive, apart from last season, a team that’s constantly in the postseason,” he said through an interpreter. “At the end of the day, I just continued to hear so many good things about this clubhouse, this team, this organization, the way they treat their players, the city of Atlanta itself. And at the end of the day, this was the right decision for me, and I couldn’t be happier, and my family couldn’t be happier, either.”
This signing is expected to bolster the Braves’ chances in the upcoming season, and fans are eagerly anticipating the impact of Suarez’s addition to the team. With his impressive track record and the team’s commitment to excellence, the future looks bright for the Atlanta Braves.
ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
