Veteran shortstop José Iglesias entered the free agent market just four days ago after canceling a minor league contract with the Miami Marlins. It didn’t take him long to find a new home, though his new location has surprised many fans.
Iglesias has reportedly agreed to a minor league deal with the San Diego Padresjoining an organization that already has infielders coming out of ear holes.
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José Iglesias is an 11-year veteran MLB shortstop who has played for six teams in his career. He now joins an organization that has an All-Star shortstop in Xander Bogaerts, a former All-Star shortstop who plays right field in Fernando Tatis Jr.. and another former shortstop who plays second base in Ha-Seong Kim.
The Padres also have a middle infielder playing first base in Jake Cronenworth and another middle infielder, Rougned Odor, coming off the bench.
José Iglesias headed into spring training with miami in March in something of a battle with the other signer of the minor league contract, Yuli Gurriel, formerly of the Houston Astros. Gurriel, a slugging first baseman, won the battle for a major league roster spot with the offensively challenged Marlins.
The team installed utility Jon Berti as the team’s starting shortstop, while Iglesias played the waiting game. He did not report to a minor league Marlins club and finally, nearly a month after Miami chose Gurriel over him, Iglesias wanted to be released.
Although there seemed to be other teams like the los angeles dodgers, detroit tigers and Boston Red Sox With a much more pressing need for a solid fielder and a decent hitting shortstop, Iglesias is heading to San Diego.
Despite being fired by the Marlins, José Iglesias was not unemployed for long. He is a defensively solid shortstop who can hold his own at the plate with a .279 career MLB batting average. It’s just that many cannot understand why the Fathers were so interested in his services.
Of course, if the Dodgers wanted Iglesias, then it all makes sense.
José Iglesias could mean the end of Odor with the Padres
Many feel the move of Iglesias may spell the end of the line for Odor in San Diego. Odor, a 10-year veteran, is hitting just .100 in 34 plate appearances this season. While Iglesias’ bat has almost no power, his worst average in a full season was .255.
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