C. Trent Rosecrans

crosecrans@enquirer.com

WASHINGTON — The Reds haven’t made a decision about what they feel is best for the long-term future of Raisel Iglesias, but the right-hander knows he wants to close.

Back in the bullpen after shoulder issues cost him a month-and-a-half on the disabled list, Iglesias said this week that he believes the bullpen is the best place for him - and if he’s going to be in the bullpen, he wants to eventually earn the closer’s spot.

“I like coming in from the bullpen. I want to be a closer,” Iglesias said this week in Washington, according to interpreter Julio Morillo.

Iglesias was used mostly as a reliever in Cuba, and the Reds signed him to a seven-year, $27-million contract in 2014 with the belief that he could start. At 26, Iglesias has shown promise in 21 starts, going 4-8 with a 3.88 ERA. But shoulder fatigue cut short his rookie year in 2014 and an offseason stretching program showed early promise this season before he went on the disabled list a month into the season.

“We’re going to get through the season and try to define it. For me, personally, this is an organizational decision simply because of what we should anticipate overall in what his durability looks like,” Reds manager Bryan Price said on Friday. “And you know what? That’s going to be our best effort to come to terms with what the theorem is, taking into consideration Dr. Kremchek and the training staff and the durability factor. Can he be durable as a starter and a guy we anticipate making 33 starts and throwing 200-plus innings as a starter? That’s really the biggest - the durability question and what’s in his best interest long-term.”

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For now, Iglesias said his shoulder feels great, and he believes relieving is in his best interest long-term.

“My arm feels good right now out of the bullpen. I think I don’t want to go back and be a starter again. I think I’m going to be in the bullpen because my arm feels really, really good right now,” Iglesias said, according to Morillo. “My preparation right now is I’m going to be healthy. I’m going to be back to the rehab. I want to be healthy enough to help my team.”

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Iglesias has appeared in four games as a reliever since returning from the disabled list, including a 2 1/3-inning scoreless appearance on Friday. He’s given up just three hits in 7 1/3 innings with three walks and seven strikeouts. The only run he’s allowed was a home run to Adam Rosales in last week’s blowout loss to the Padres.

Not only does Iglesias say he feels better, his velocity has increased. According to BrooksBaseball.net, Iglesias’ four-seam fastball averaged 91 mph in April and has been 96 mph since returning to the bullpen. He’s had several pitches at 98, surprising both Price and catcher Tucker Barnhart, but not Iglesias.

Iglesias said in Cuba, he’d routinely get up to 99 mph on his fastball when used as a reliever. As a starter, he’s had to hold more back, knowing he was being counted on to throw 100 pitches or more. Teammate Michael Lorenzen has seen a similar uptick in his velocity, hitting 99 mph now that he’s being used out of the bullpen.

“I’d never seen him throw that hard. The fact that he’s throwing that hard and it’s still moving like it normally does is pretty impressive,” Barnhart said of Iglesias.

Said Price: “That’s some big velocity. The thing that I think made the difference was he was able to blend all those other pitches. Sometimes the velocity teases you into think, ‘Now I’m a fastball pitcher instead of a pitcher.’ When he started cracking off that slider, curve, change. To go with the velocity sure made it look special for a couple of innings.”

That’s exactly why Iglesias thinks he could be a different type of reliever, if used in that situation.

“I have a lot of different pitches. People are going to ask why I want to be a closer if I have five different pitches, but it’s something I feel, if I’m going to be in the bullpen, I want to be a closer,” Iglesias said, according to Morillo. “I haven’t seen a closer with five or six different pitches. I want to start thinking about continuing my career as a closer.”