Trade Central: Braves Add Raisel Iglesias, Angels Get Tucker Davidson

Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos was busy as usual at the trade deadline, picking up one of the more experienced closers on the market with a deadline-beating deal that brings righthander Raisel Iglesias to Atlanta.

Raisel Iglesias, RHP
Age: 32

Iglesias’ slider is his best pitch, but he needs his fastball, as his slider is primarily a chase pitch. Iglesias is a pitcher who is nearly unhittable if he gets ahead in the count, but is quite hittable if he falls behind. When ahead in the count, hitters hit .133/.127/.145 against him this year. When he’s behind in the count, they hit .355/.512/.548. Iglesias was 2-6, 4.04 with a 3.17 FIP at the time of the trade. He gives Atlanta another late-inning option this year to pair with Kenley Jansen and he gives the team a potential closer for years to come as well. He’s under contract for the next three seasons at $16 million per year.

 

ANGELS RECEIVE

Tucker Davidson, LHP
Age: 26

Davidson has been riding the Gwinnett-Atlanta shuttle for multiple years. The Braves have been trying to develop him as a starter, and there’s every reason for the Angels to try the same, but the window of time for him to make it as a starter is starting to close. If he can’t stick as a starter, and his control wavers when he pitches in the majors, he has a fallback option as a lefty reliever. Davidson’s 93-95 mph fastball plays as a below-average pitch because it doesn’t have the movement to miss bats. His 87-89 mph slider is a useful weapon, but it’s not a pitch he can consistently throw for strikes. Davidson has had plenty of success at Triple-A, but he’s yet to translate it to the majors. The Angels have plenty of innings to give him to see if a change of scenery will help him find himself in the majors.

Jesse Chavez, RHP
Age: 38

This is already Chavez’s second trade of the season. He began the year with the Cubs, and then was sent back to Atlanta (where he pitched in 2021) in a trade that sent Sean Newcomb to the Cubs. Chavez was effective for the Braves, going 1-1, 2.11 with a 2.54 FIP. He actually should be a useful addition to the Angels’ bullpen. He’s a free agent at the end of the season.