Raisel Iglesias leads the way for Braves late-season resurrection

Finally, things are starting to turn around for the Atlanta Braves following a dormant start to the second half of the 2024 MLB campaign. While it's been a collective effort to right the ship, closer Raisel Iglesias has been at the forefront of the club's resurgence.

Iglesias was instrumental in Atlanta's 3-2 extra-inning victory over the Washington Nationals on Friday, adding to his impressive run from the mound. He pitched two scoreless, hitless frames, earning his third win of the season.

As Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution points out, Iglesias has been "unstoppable" of late. The Braves hurler extended his streak of retired consecutive batters to 38 against the Nationals before drilling outfielder Dylan Young with a 95-mile-per-hour fastball. The right-hander recorded an impressive 10 perfect outings in that span!

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Raisel Iglesias leads the way for Braves late-season resurrection

After the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker acknowledged Igleasis' remarkable stretch while praising the 34-year-old for his selfless approach.

"A lot of these closers are divas, and he's the exact opposite of that," Snitker said via Toscano.

The Braves stumbled out of the gates following the All-Star break, losing six of their first seven contests. However, Iglesias has helped put the club back on track, playing a massive role in them going 8-3 over their past 11 matches.

Sitting at 69-59 and second place in the National League East, the Braves trail the division-leading Philadelphia Phillies by five games. Atlanta holds the third and final Wild Card spot, but the New York Mets and San Francisco Giants are gaining ground in the standings.

FanGraphs' MLB playoff odds projections gives the Braves an 80.2 percent chance of reaching the postseason after defeating the Nationals. Be that as it may, there's still a lot of baseball left, so Atlanta can't let their guard down, Iglesias included. The standout reliever must continue his incredible late-year performance.