The Atlanta Braves are *still* circling veteran closer Raisel Iglesias, even after just re-signing him for a cool one year and $16 million last offseason. You’d think they’d learn, but nope, MLB Trade Rumors says they’re back at it, with Detroit also in the mix for the 36-year-old righty. This feels like a rerun of a bad movie, and it’s got to stop.
Atlanta’s $16 Million Blunder Is Repeating Itself
Seriously, what are the Braves doing? Chasing the same guy again, after dropping $16 million on him *last* offseason, just feels like a classic case of a team stuck in its ways. The source calls this a “bad habit,” and it’s hard to disagree. Teams that keep going after aging closers often find themselves with a totally busted bullpen and absolutely zero depth when it matters most. Atlanta needs to snap out of it and look elsewhere for their late-inning help. There’s gotta be other options out there that don’t scream “more of the same.”
The Nationals Are Playing Chess While Everyone Else Is Playing Checkers
While Atlanta is stuck chasing a single name, the Washington Nationals are actually out here building something smart. The Nats had one of the worst bullpens in baseball in 2026, let’s be real, but they’re being incredibly savvy about fixing it. They pulled off 77 victories during their rebuild, showing they know how to play the long game. And instead of throwing huge cash at free agents for multi-year deals, they’re reportedly avoiding that trap entirely. That’s a sound decision for a club in their position.
Instead of chasing one big-name reliever, Washington is hunting for starting pitching. Spencer Nusbaum reports they’ve been inquiring about controllable starting arms in trade discussions and are exploring more options than they did last season. Plus, they just hired John Morris as their new VP of baseball research. Morris came straight from the Yankees, where he was the assistant director of quantitative analysis. That’s a serious upgrade to their analytics side, showing a real plan is in motion.
Marlins Make a Solid Move, Bring Trayce Thompson Back to the Game
Down in Miami, the Marlins made a genuinely good hire by bringing Trayce Thompson into their baseball operations department. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald broke the news, and it probably signals the end of Thompson’s playing career. The 35-year-old competed in parts of seven MLB seasons between 2015 and 2023, and then finished his time on the field with three seasons split between the minors, the Mexican League, and independent baseball. He’s got 45 homers and a .212/.300/.411 slash line across 1,058 plate appearances, with his best stretch coming in the second half of 2022 with the Dodgers. Moving a former player with that kind of on-field experience into an operations role just makes a ton of sense.
It’s clear some teams are thinking long-term and smart, while others are stuck in old habits. As the offseason heats up, it’ll be fascinating to watch if Atlanta finally breaks free from their Iglesias obsession, or if Washington’s chess moves pay off big in the coming season. What’s next for these clubs could define their trajectory for years.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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