The Mets signed Nick Madrigal to a cut up contract yesterday, seemingly addressing the crew’s want so as to add an skilled utility infielder alongside the youthful in-house infield choices. The signing led to contemporary questions concerning the standing of final yr’s veteran infield hand in Jose Iglesias, who stays unsigned within the wake of a magical season on and off the sector in Queens.
Jon Heyman of the New York Submit wrote yesterday that “the Mets haven’t but strongly pursued” Iglesias so far within the offseason. The Submit’s Mike Puma added a bit extra context to the state of affairs, noting that the Mets may even see Iglesias as barely redundant inside the crew’s crowded infield depth chart, although “Iglesias hasn’t been dominated out” for a return.
Iglesias signed a minor league contract with New York final offseason, and that contract was chosen to the energetic roster on Might 31, when the Mets additionally optioned Brett Baty right down to Triple-A amidst a flurry of different roster strikes. Identified extra for his glove than his bat over his lengthy profession, Iglesias improbably delivered one of the best offensive efficiency of his 12 MLB seasons, hitting .337/.381/.448 with 4 homers (for a 137 wRC+) over 291 plate appearances. His arrival on the roster virtually precisely coincided with the Mets’ turnaround, because the crew had a 23-33 document earlier than Iglesias’ contract was chosen after which a 66-40 document afterwards. If that wasn’t sufficient, Iglesias even recorded the pop track “OMG,” which grew to become the Mets’ anthem and unofficial rallying cry for the 2024 season.
Regardless of all this success and Iglesias’ function as a clubhouse chief and fan favourite, it’s comprehensible why the Mets haven’t been proactive in re-signing the 35-year-old. Iglesias’ offensive exhibiting was closely powered by a .382 BABIP, as he didn’t stroll a lot or make onerous contact. To Iglesias’ credit score, his dash pace helped him flip a few of these grounders into base hits, and he saved lots of balls in play by not often putting out.
Nonetheless, it’s secure to imagine that the Mets would possibly view Iglesias’ 2024 numbers as one thing of a fluke, so transferring to the roster flexibility supplied by Madrigal’s cut up contract might be the crew’s most popular tactic. As Puma famous, New York would possibly ideally choose that any of its veteran infield choices stay purely as depth, lest they block any enjoying time for Baty, Luisangel Acuna, Ronny Mauricio or others.
