NY Mets free agent retrospective: The season-changing signing no one saw coming

December 4 hasn’t been an especially active day for transactions in New York Mets history. Many of their bigger offseason moves came days earlier or closer to the middle of December when the Winter Meetings have typically taken place. On December 4, 2023, it didn’t look like things would be any different.

A quiet offseason addition was secured by the Mets on a minor league contract. Veteran shortstop Jose Iglesias agreed to join the Mets a year after spending the whole season in the minor leagues. A consistent contact hitter known for some good glove work, it was a credible addition to the Triple-A roster we figured we’d never see.

After all, the team already added Joey Wendle and had multiple young players hoping to break out as regulars in the majors. Iglesias might as well squander another season in Triple-A and maybe give the Mets some defensive innings following an injury.

Jose Iglesias is on the Mount Rushmore of Mets minor league free agent signings

A 1 for 4 appearance on May 31 by Iglesias in a 10-9 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks got things started. You may even recall Iglesias collecting that single for his personal collection as if it was the first of his career. The very next day, Iglesias beat out an infield single in a game that Arizona was beginning to waste away. They’d win it, but Iglesias was showing the kind of heart and hustle the Mets lacked.

It can’t be overstated how meaningful his arrival to the Mets was. Coming off of their early season collapse versus the Los Angeles Dodgers which all but snuffed out the flame of any playoff hopes, it was a case of the right person at the right time.

We remember a lot of moments from Iglesias’ tenure. A little lost is how he had a 7-game hitting streak to begin his time with the Mets. Uncommitted to giving him a full-time job in June, things changed in July when Iglesias began to switch between second base and third base on a regular basis. An injury to second baseman Jeff McNeil opened up a pathway to becoming the everyday second baseman. Iglesias slowed down for a little but never came to a complete stop.

September was a huge month for Iglesias in a time when they were playing without Francisco Lindor, J.D. Martinez wasn’t hitting, and Jesse Winker left his best at-bats in August. Iglesias batted .371/.402/.443 in the final month of the regular season. He scored 16 runs for the Mets with a whopping 36 hits in the month.

Clutchness was the key to making him a popular player both for who he was and what he did. Iglesias dominated in every clutch statistic you can find. He was the rally resurrector. With runners in scoring position and 2 outs, Iglesias batted .440/.500/.560.

Fans appropriately bought into Iglesias’ success and helped make him one of the most popular players on a beloved team. When he signed on December 4, 2023, we had no idea he was going to be right up there alongside Rick Reed and R.A. Dickey as one of the great unexpected additions in franchise history.