| Raisel Iglesias | |||||||||||||||
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.jpg) Iglesias with theLos Angeles Angels in 2021 | |||||||||||||||
| Atlanta Braves – No. 26 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1990-01-04)January 4, 1990 (age 35) Isla de la Juventud,Cuba | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| April 12, 2015, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 38-49 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 2.87 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 796 | ||||||||||||||
| Saves | 224 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||
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Medals
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Raisel "Enrique" Iglesias (born January 4, 1990) is a Cuban professionalbaseballpitcher for theAtlanta Braves ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for theCincinnati Reds andLos Angeles Angels. He signed with the Reds as an international free agent in 2014 after defecting from Cuba.
Iglesias played for thePiratas de Isla de la Juventud in theCuban National Series, and played for theCuban national baseball team, appearing in the2013 World Baseball Classic and2013 World Port Tournament.[1]
In September 2013, Iglesias attempted todefect from Cuba.[2] He hid in the mountains ofIsla de la Juventud, but was caught and was detained.[3][4] In November of that same year, Iglesias successfully defected from Cuba.[5] He established his residency inHaiti before holding an open tryout inMexico in December 2013.[6]
On June 27, 2014, Iglesias signed with theCincinnati Reds, to a seven-year contract worth $27 million.[7] The Reds formally added him to their40-man roster when he arrived in the United States on August 12.[8]
Inspring training in 2015, the Reds evaluated Iglesias as astarting pitcher.[9] He started the season in the Reds'Opening Daystarting rotation, and made his MLB debut on April 12.[10] He had a couple of stints on thedisabled list, limiting him to just 18 games, 16 of them starts. His record was 3–7 with 104 strikeouts. The following season, after beginning the season in the rotation, Iglesias was moved to the bullpen. Iglesias served as setup man and closer for the Reds, finishing with six saves in 37 games. In 2019, Iglesias started the season as the Reds closer and ended the year with career-highs in saves (34) and appearances (68) and a 4.16 ERA.[11] On August 8, 2020, Iglesias earned his 100th MLB career save against the Brewers.[12] In 2020, Iglesias pitched to a 4–3 record and 2.74 ERA with 31 strikeouts in 23.0 innings of work.[13]
On December 7, 2020, Iglesias was traded to the Angels forNoé Ramirez andLeo Rivas.[14] With the Angels, Iglesias was namedAmerican League Reliever of the Month for July 2021.[15] Iglesias finished the 2021 season with a 2.57 ERA, 103 strikeouts and 34 saves. The 34 saves tied his career high and he came up one strikeout short of tying his career high at 104.
On December 1, 2021, Iglesias re-signed with the Angels on a four-year, $58 million contract.[16]
On June 26, 2022, after the brawl between the Angels and the Seattle Mariners, Iglesias threw a tub of sunflower seeds and a bucket of gum onto the infield. This was also the first ejection of his career.[17]
The Angels traded Iglesias to theAtlanta Braves forJesse Chavez andTucker Davidson on August 2, 2022.[18][19][20]
Iglesias had a son during the 2018 season.[21][22][23]
