The offseason plan for the Atlanta Braves seems to be pretty straightforward according Alex Anthopoulos. Retaining Ha-Seong Kim is objective number one, and then it’s acquiring as much talented pitching as possible. The bullpen in particular could use reinforcements this winter, and there are plenty of names set to hit the free agent market.

The first question Anthopoulos will need to address with the bullpen is who exactly will be closing games for Atlanta in 2026? Raisel Iglesias has been the trusted ninth inning guy for the last three seasons, but he is set to become a free agent as well. Should the Braves not want to reunite with the soon to be 36 year-old Iglesias, which relievers could serve as his replacement next season?

Here are some internal and external candidates who could become the Braves closer in 2026

Joe Jiménez

The list of internal options is quite limited, and truthfully why Anthopoulos was so blunt in expressing the need to fortify the bullpen this winter. With Iglesias hitting free agency, Joe Jimenez is the only current member of Atlanta’s bullpen with “closer stuff.” However, Jimenez didn’t pitch at all in 2025 due to his knee surgery. It’s probably best to let Jimenez ease back into Atlanta’s bullpen next season, and attempt to be as effective of a setup man as he was in 2024.

Jhancarlos Lara

How can a 22 year-old pitcher who has never thrown a pitch at the Major League level be considered a possibility for the closer role of a hopeful contender? Throwing a fastball that touches triple digits and pairing that with one of the best sliders in the minor leagues will do that. Jhancarlos Lara was called to the big leagues in September, but never actually got in game action. Lara likely won’t get the chance to handle the ninth inning early on, but should his command continue to progress this is certainly a role you could see him pitching in by next summer.

Devin Williams

His debut season in the bronx didn’t quite live up to expectations of Yankees fans, but Devin Williams rebounded quite nicely down the stretch. His 4.79 ERA will scare some teams away, but intelligent GM’s like Anthopoulos will see Williams’ 3.07 xERA 2.95 xFIP, and 90 strikeouts in 62 innings and give him a big payday. His trademark changeup gives you reason to believe he’s a pitcher worth giving a longer term contract.

Luke Weaver

Another Yankees reliever that features plenty of swing and miss stuff is converted starter Luke Weaver. His 32.8 chase% and 31.0 whiff% was good enough to rank in the 91st and 89th percentile respectively. Weaver also had an amazing postseason run in 2024 with New York, showcasing he’s more than capable of pitching in the biggest moments.

Ryan Helsley

Anthopoulos loves a good buy-low candidate, and the second half of 2025 didn’t get much lower than Ryan Helsley. Just one year removed from winning the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year award, Helsley imploded after he was traded to the New York Mets at the deadline. His 7.20 ERA with the Mets will sour teams on the type of pitcher he can be in 2026. However, the Mets second half collapse can’t be solely placed on the Helsley trade failure. His fastball still averages over 99 mph, and reliever performance truly varies from season to season. Queue up the AA one-year bounce back special.

Edwin Diaz

If the Braves want to swing big for a closer there will be no player who will qualify more for this than Mets closer Edwin Diaz. The 2025 season showcased that Diaz is back to full strength after he posted a stellar 1.63 ERA and 13.3 K/9. Diaz is still one of the best swing and miss pitchers in baseball, and he has everything you could want in a closer when looking at his Statcast profile. Diaz can opt-out of his deal and instantly become the best reliever on the market this offseason. If Anthopoulos chooses to go this route, it won’t come cheap.