Mets fan favorite player again proves heart and guts are greater than star power

What does an athlete do with the season on the line? Lately, the New York Mets have been trying their hardest to stay alive for another day. This isn’t always the case. Over the weekend before the Minnesota Twins were eliminated, Carlos Correa was caught jogging down to first base on what might have otherwise turned out to be a game-saving error.

And to think, the Mets almost signed this guy to one of the franchise’s largest contracts. If there’s one thing we’ve come to appreciate about the 2024 Mets, it’s their heart and guts. It was on full display during Game 1 versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

In fact, the best hustle play of all came from a usual suspect. Trailing by one, Iglesias hit a hard groundball to first base but didn’t take it easy. Yet another infield single helped Tyrone Taylor bust around third base and score to tie the game at 4.

Jose Iglesias is getting paid a fraction of what Carlos Correa is and you’d never know it

Iglesias will go down as one of the most unique players in Mets history. Signed to a minor league deal, he didn’t even make the Opening Day roster nor did he play amazingly well in the minors. He got his chance after the Mets were officially declared dead at the end of May and immediately had an impact on the field and in the locker room.

It was an infield single by Iglesias in early June versus the Arizona Diamondbacks that I consider the turning point of the season for the Mets. It showed a different kind of guts we hadn’t seen enough of.

This wasn’t a one-time event either. Throughout the year, Iglesias added to his .337 batting average by beating out balls that were nearly routine. While this one against the Brewers wasn’t a casual play, getting out of the box quickly and running for his life changed the game.

Additional props go out to Taylor for continuing what has been a hot stretch at the plate, in the field, and on the bases.

If you’re looking for a reason to be confident in the Mets, plays like this are where games can swing the other way quickly. We nearly saw it go in the opposite direction on Monday when Edwin Diaz failed to cover first base. This time, we were on the other end thanks to the quick and purposeful feet of Jose Iglesias.