"Back before the 2025 season, I wrote an article that the 2025 bullpen could look a bit different than the bullpen of the three most recent Braves seasons. Basically, that article had a table that indicated: Braves' bullpen preseason projected rank was top four or better from 2022-2024, top eight the two seasons before that, and then dropping to ninth ahead of 2025; Braves' bullpen finished in the top ten in fWAR each year from 2020-2024;"
"And, well, we know what happened: The bullpen finished 25th in fWAR, its lowest placement under the current regime (but similar to the 23rd in 2018). It did a little better in xFIP-, but was still in the bottom ten. The bullpen actually finished 13th in WPA despite the bullet above. Only one Braves reliever had 1+ fWAR, and that was Raisel Iglesias with 1.0 fWAR."
Preseason projections showed the Braves bullpen ranked among the top units from 2020-2024 but dropped to a ninth-place projection for 2025 due to Joe Jimenez's likely season-ending status. Historical metrics included top-ten fWAR finishes from 2020-2024, top-half WPA finishes from 2019-2024, at least two relievers with 1+ fWAR each year from 2020-2024, and roughly $40 million committed to relievers annually. The 2025 outcome saw the bullpen fall to 25th in fWAR, sit in the bottom ten by xFIP-, finish 13th in WPA, and produce only one reliever (Raisel Iglesias) with 1.0 fWAR. Subsequent roster moves included declining club options for Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley and Iglesias reaching free agency.
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