ATLANTA, Ga. – The Atlanta Braves on Thursday signed reliever Robert Suarez to a three-year deal worth $45 million, the team announced.
Left-hander Ryan Rolison, who was acquired off waivers from the Colorado Rockies last month, was designated for assignment to make room. Suarez’s contract will earn $13 million in 2026 and $16 million each of the following two seasons.
Like Mike Yastrzemski, who signed a two-year, $23 million contract with Atlanta on Wednesday, Suarez will donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
Well, the Braves got their bullpen arm.
Suarez, who will be 35 on Opening Day, compiled 40 saves and a 2.97 ERA in 2025 and has 76 saves over the past two seasons with the San Diego Padres. The Braves, who resigned closer Raisel Iglesias to a one-year deal last month, plan on using Iglesias as the closer and Suarez in the setup role, giving Atlanta one of the best setup/closer duos in the league.
With the signings of both Iglesias and Suarez, the Braves have lessened their bullpen concerns after declining options on right-handers Tyler Kinley ($5.5 million) and Pierce Johnson ($7 million) early on in the offseason.
Suarez, who spent the first six seasons of his professional career in Mexico and Japan, is 22-13 with a 2.91 ERA and 77 saves in four major league seasons, all with San Diego. He is a two-time All-Star and is 76 saves since the start of 2024 are the most in the league.
Yastrzemski, when asked about the Suarez signing on Thursday, chuckled and said facing Suarez in the NL West “was never a fun time when I saw him running in from the bullpen.”