Over the last couple of days, the rumour mill has been buzzing about the Blue Jays and Raisel Iglesias being linked for the 2026 season. According to Francys Romero on X: “According to sources, the Toronto Blue Jays have emerged as a strong suitor for Cuban reliever Raisel Iglesias. Toronto is actively pursuing the veteran right-hander as they look to reinforce the back end of their bullpen.”

Iglesias has been one of the most consistent late-inning relievers in baseball during his time with the Braves, Los Angeles Angels, and Cincinnati Reds. With Ross Atkins noting in his end-of-season press conference that Jeff Hoffman is not locked into the closer role for 2026, it’s clear the organization has been keeping tabs on potential bullpen upgrades. Hoffman blew seven saves and surrendered 15 home runs in relief during the 2025 campaign, raising understandable concern.

The Jays have been linked to numerous free agents and different areas this winter, and Iglesias does present as an opportunity to upgrade the big league bullpen.

The 35-year-old spent the last three and a half seasons as the Atlanta Braves’ closer. In 2025, he posted a 3.21 ERA across 70 appearances, recording 29 saves in 67 1/3 innings. While those numbers are solid for a late-inning reliever, his season was a tale of two halves. Iglesias struggled early, logging a 4.42 ERA before the All-Star break, including a 5.73 ERA in April and a 6.10 ERA in May. But he rebounded spectacularly in the second half, posting a 1.76 ERA the rest of the way and not allowing a single run while facing 40 batters in the final month of the season.

However, Iglesias did struggle in high-leverage situations last year. Opponents hit .262 against him in those spots, and he allowed 16 runs (15 earned) in 21.2 high-leverage innings. Despite his track record of closing games — he owns 253 career saves — his uneven 2025 performance may give some teams pause when considering him for a dedicated ninth-inning role.

Iglesias’ pitch mix features a four-seam fastball that touches 95 mph, along with a changeup, sinker, and slider. He increased his sinker usage in 2025, raising its whiff rate from 8.2% to 14%. His fastball velocity has dipped slightly from its peak of 97 mph. The biggest issue last season was his slider, as opponents hit .346 against it and he surrendered six of his eight home runs on that pitch.

One of Iglesias’ strengths is his ability to limit walks — he hasn’t walked more than 15 batters in a season since 2019 with the Reds. His 0.995 WHIP was far better than Hoffman’s, who issued 27 walks in 2025 compared to Iglesias’ 16. While he doesn’t overpower hitters as much as he used to, Iglesias still struck out 73 batters across his 68 innings of work.

Given the early offseason reports linking Iglesias to Toronto, there’s clearly potential for a fit.

While he may not excite the fanbase the way an Edwin Díaz or Robert Suarez would, he does offer reliability and experience at the back end of the bullpen. With Seranthony Domínguez potentially departing in free agency, adding Iglesias would give the Blue Jays another dependable late-inning option alongside a returning Yimi García.

An open competition for the closer role — featuring Hoffman, Iglesias, and possibly García or another external addition — seems like a logical approach. The Blue Jays historically haven’t spent heavily on relievers under Ross Atkins, but with the contract they gave Hoffman last offseason and the organization’s appetite for aggression after coming so close to winning the World Series, anything and everything should be on the table.