Phillies Named Landing Spot For Braves All-Star

The Philadelphia Phillies fell short of winning the World Series this past season, losing in the National League Wild-Card round to the rival Atlanta Braves.

After stumbling through September, the Phillies were able to clinch a spot in the playoffs on the final day of the regular season, but the team couldn't overcome the slump. While they did take Atlanta to three games, the offense for Philadelphia just wasn't enough.

As the team enters into the offseason, the front office has some work to do across the edges of the roster. Adding another outfielder to the team will be a big priority, but there are other areas to be addressed as well.

One has to come from the bullpen, where the Phillies were very inconsistent, except for closer Jhoan Duran. The Phillies bullpen finished the season with the 21st-ranked ERA in baseball, which won't get the job done.

For a team that has true World Series aspirations, fixing the bullpen problem is going to have to be a priority for the front office. Philadelphia's front office has never been shy about being aggressive with offseason moves, and there is no reason to believe that it will happen again.

One name that could make sense is right-hander Raisel Iglesias, who played for the Braves last season. Iglesias could come in to pair with Duran, giving the Phillies a legitimate one-two punch for late-game situations.

MLB analyst Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report listed the Phillies as a potential landing spot for the veteran right-hander.

Last season, the veteran posted a 2.55 ERA over 59 appearances, throwing 60.0 innings for the Braves. Iglesias recorded 34 saves in 37 attempts, while striking out 64 batters during his time on the mound.

The Phillies have to address the bullpen, and with Iglesias being older, they could give him a short-term deal. This would allow the team to bolster the unit for the 2027 season, without taking on any long term money in the process.

Philadelphia has its eyes set on going after a World Series title next season, and adding the veteran right-hander could make sense. By signing Iglesias, the Phillies would not only be helping out their own cause, but the team would be weakening the Braves in the process.

This could be a real win-win for the Phillies, and they know Iglesias well from the few years that he's spent with Atlanta. The veteran could help solidify this bullpen unit, giving manager Don Mattingly more to work with over the long regular season next year.