Jose Iglesias is still waiting on the Mets call, does New York need him?
By James Nolan
Jose Iglesias was a pivotal piece for the New York Mets in 2024. Last season, he hit .337 with a .830 OPS across 85 games. The veteran infielder also sparked the team with his hit song “OMG.” After every home run the team hit, they even held up a sign of the song name.
He recently had lunch with Jon Heyman of the NY Post and expressed his desire for another go-around with the Mets.
New York is still in need of a backup shortstop and could certainly use a utility player. Iglesias excels at just that, as he can play every infield position, except first base. New York’s manager, Carlos Mendoza, greatly benefited from plugging the former All-Star in when needed.
Jose Iglesias would be a perfect fit for the Mets in 2025
The Mets already have a loaded lineup. The addition of Juan Soto makes them a World Series contender. Francisco Lindor, Pete Alonso, Mark Vientos, and Brandon Nimmo should get better pitches to hit with the young superstar in the lineup.
Even with the addition of Soto, the Mets could use a magic touch. Iglesias proved to be that magic touch in 2024 for New York and should get another opportunity to do that again this season. David Stearns, the team’s President of Baseball Operations, signed Nick Madrigal to a one-year split contract. However, he’s never played an abundance of shortstop, whereas Iglesias has.
Even though the 35-year-old was a surprise in 2024, he’s been a consistent hitter his entire career. He holds a .283 career batting average and has hit .294 with a .733 OPS since 2021.
Iglesias wouldn’t command a mega deal. A one-year deal could get the job done. According to sources, he will meet with the Mets next week. Striking an agreement wouldn’t hurt New York’s chances of winning it all in 2025. They hope to contend for a World Series this season, especially since they re-signed Alonso. Bringing back the former clubhouse leader and fan favorite would make sense. Iglesias would make them a better team this season, so it’s a no-brainer to sign him.
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