Good-Bye OMG! Ex-Met Jose Iglesias Heads to San Diego
From the perspective of the die-hard New York Mets fan, it has been a spring of huge L’s for the Amazin’s thus far, and on Wednesday they took another one…
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 16: Jose Iglesias #11 of the New York Mets celebrates after hitting a single in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on October 16, 2024 in New York City.
(Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)From the perspective of the die-hard New York Mets fan, it has been a spring of huge L's for the Amazin's thus far, and on Wednesday they took another one on the chin.
Jose Iglesias who galvanized the culture of the Mets clubhouse and fan base last season with his hit single "OMG!," and was a major contributor on the field, batting .337 with a .829 OPS, has signed with the San Diego Padres.
According to Sports Illustrated, Iglesias will get $3 million if he makes the majors, and $1 million incentives.
As for the Mets they were more than willing to just move on and end the OMG era. Iglesias is 35-years old, and the team wants to see some of its younger players get an opportunity to fill in the utility roll on the infield.
As it stands, the Mets have a log-jam behind incumbent second baseman Jeff McNeil with Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio coming fast up through the system. As it stands right now, back-up infielder Brett Baty could find himself as a utility infielder for the Mets this season.
That wasn't exactly the plan initially of course for the Amazin's. They had hopped to have Nick Madigral take over as the utility infielder this year, but he fractured his left shoulder in a spring training game, and could be lost for the season.
Once Madigral went down with an injury, many fans opined on social media for the team to bring back Iglesias, but those pleas went on deaf ears.
The Iglesias news is likely bitter news to Mets fans, who have had to endure a spring chuck full of injuries. In addition to the Madigral injury, the Mets are without their staff ace Sean Manaea who will begin the year on the IL with an oblique strain. In addition, pitcher Frankie Montas has a high grade lat strain, and could be out til June.
