Los Angeles Angels: Raisel Iglesias huge upgrade over Hansel Robles

At this time last year, the Los Angeles Angels were set with Hansel Robles as their closer. By acquiring Raisel Iglesias they have upgraded in a huge way.

With their latest move, the Los Angeles Angels are showing they are getting serious about building a whole roster around Mike Trout. By acquiring closer Raisel Iglesias in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, the Angels are taking a big step in solidifying a bullpen which has been unstable in recent years.

The Angels have done well to build around the best player in baseball by adding proven hitters (Albert Pujols early on, Justin Upton, more recently Anthony Rendon) over the years. Last year they added Dylan Bundy and Julio Teheran to the starting rotation to help bolster the pitching. Bundy worked out, Teheran did not.

A somewhat young, untested bullpen is what the Angles put together for the 2020 season, with incumbent closer Hansel Robles getting the ninth inning duties.

In his one year as closer, the year prior, Robles was solid for the Angels. He went 5-1 with a 2.48 earned run average and 23 saves. The fact Robles pitched the entire year only blowing four saves was somewhat encouraging. Encouraging, yet an outlier.

In his previous four years pitching out of the New York Mets bullpen Robles had higher BB/9 and HR/9 numbers. The numbers he put up in 2019 were both career bests for these statistical areas. For the first time in his career, he went a full slate without hitting a batter, presumed proof he was getting better control of his pitches.

Two aspects had always hampered Robles, putting people on base and giving up home runs. They came back to bite him in 2020, during his short lived stint as the team’s closer.

After giving up multiple runs in three of his first four relief appearances, Robles was dethroned as the ninth inning guy, and the Angels would finish the year with five different guys earning saves.

Raisel Iglesias provides more stability.

He has four years of experience as the closer in Cincinnati under his belt. Innings and innings experience in high leverage situations. He strikes out a good number of hitters. He walks more than he should for being a ninth inning guy, though his overall WHIP numbers are not inflated. He is one of the games up and coming closers and a huge upgrade over Robles.

With this move, the Los Angeles Angels are sending a strong message they are ready to hand over a ninth inning lead to a proven stopper.