Who is the closer for the Atlanta Braves in 2020?

The Atlanta Braves have a few options, but who will be the team’s closer when we get the 2020 season started?

The Atlanta Braves completely revamped the clubs bullpen at last year’s trading deadline, but the team still felt they needed more stability in the back end after the 2019 season.

So the Atlanta Braves struck quick in free agency and went out and signed former San Francisco Giants closer Will Smith to a three year $39M contract. General consensus, at least from my standpoint, was that he would be given the ball for the Atlanta Braves in the ninth inning to close out games.

However, some recent articles and other forms of communication have led to speculation that the team might still trust Mark Melancon to close out games if Will Smith is needed for higher leverage situations in the seventh or eighth innings if need be.

Is that the smart route for the Atlanta Braves to take? Maybe, maybe not?

The game of baseball is no doubt changing and of course the recent pandemic is doing us no favors as the game will surely be changed even more by the time our new “opening day” arrives.

I still believe it is in the best practice for a team to have a traditional closer, and I am throwing my hat in the ring for Will Smith to close out games for the Atlanta Braves this season.

It seems the Atlanta Braves have struggled to have a consistent closer ever since the trade of Craig Kimbrel to the San Diego Padres a few years ago.

I think it would be a minor waste if they elect not to use their best relief option as the teams closer. Especially considering he already has prior experience doing it.

After all, we’ve all heard time and time again that the last three outs are the hardest to get, and that is most likely true in most instances.

It’s nothing against Mark Melancon, but he is not the same pitcher he was a few years ago. Hopefully Brian Snitker makes the right choice and lets Will Smith be the teams permanent closer.