Jose Iglesias he went from the minor leagues to a major player for the Meths.
The Mets will lean on the 34-year-old infielder more than ever during their playoff push with shortstop Francisco Lindor out with an injured back and second baseman Jeff McNeil likely lost for the regular season with a fractured wrist.
Iglesias was back in the starting lineup for Tuesday night’s pivotal contest against the Nationals, hitting first, where he hit in each of the three games Lindor missed.
“We’re all big-leaguers here,” Iglesias told the Daily News Tuesday at Citi Field. “We know what it takes. It’s going to take every person in this clubhouse and this organization to win everything. It’s a group thing, and we’re in a good position.”
The Mets began Tuesday with a one-game lead over the Braves for the third and final National League Wild Card spot with 12 games to play.
Iglesias extended his hitting streak to 10 games in Monday’s 2-1 win over Washington, during which he hit an RBI infield single in the bottom of the eighth that tied the game, 1-1.
The 12-year MLB veteran entered Tuesday with a .323 average and an .809 OPS in 220 at-bats — not bad for a player who spent the first two months of the season at Triple-A Syracuse.
“Part of winning baseball and the conversations that go on behind the scenes, he’s pretty involved in those,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He did. He’s been in this league for a long time.”
Long known for his defense, Iglesias batted .292 with the Rockies in 2022, but failed to make an MLB roster last year. He spent time in the minors with Miami and San Diego, but opted out of both deals, then signed a minor league contract with the Mets in December.
In the minors, the Mets asked Iglesias to work on his defensive range, an adjustment he said included focusing on his pre-pitch anticipation.
Shortly after he was called up in late May, Iglesias made his mark on the Mets. Her viral Latin pop single, “OMG,” which she released under the stage name Candelita, became a rallying cry for her teammates and fans, with Citi Field playing the upbeat song as the players of Mets rounded the bases at home.
The right-handed hitting Iglesias played primarily second base for the Mets, with the lefty-swinging McNeil also seeing time in the right field before his injury. Iglesias also appeared in 31 games at third base, mostly as a defensive replacement, and made his first start of the season at shortstop on Monday.
That start came in place of Lindor, who left Friday and Sunday’s games with a sore back and missed Saturday and Monday. Lindor said Monday that an MRI came back clean and he could return this week, but he was out of the lineup Tuesday.
“It’s not a one-man show,” Iglesias said. “We’re definitely going to miss (Lindor) a lot. He’s a big part of our team. Personally, I can tell you that I’m going to miss him here. It’s sad to see Jeff go down as well. … But we just have to take it one step at a time.”
After McNeil went on the injured list on Sept. 8, Mendoza said he didn’t expect to play Iglesias more than three or four days in a row.
But with Lindor now also ill, Iglesias started his sixth game in a row Tuesday, and his fifth in a row since the Mets’ last day.
“He’s managing well,” Mendoza said. “He spends extra time in the training room and maybe reduces a bit of his work before the match, but this is something that we will continue to monitor, because it is too important for this team.”
The Mets called up prized prospect Luisangel Acuña on Saturday, adding another option to the infield mix.
Acuña entered Monday night’s game on defense at shortstop in the ninth inning, with Iglesias moving to second. Acuña, 22, pitched four putouts before Starling Marte’s walk-off single gave the Mets a 10-inning victory.
Acuña was in the starting lineup Tuesday at shortstop, with Iglesias returning to second.
“I don’t want to be in this position, but I believe in my teammates,” Lindor said Monday. “I believe in what they can do, and I will be their biggest cheerleader.”
LATE SESSION
Mets ace Kodai Senga threw a bullpen session Tuesday as he continues to work toward a potential return from a high-quality calf strain.
His next step has yet to be determined, Mendoza said.
“We’ll see if it’s a live BP, a minor league game (or) another bullpen,” the manager said. “We’ll just have to wait and see how it feels tomorrow.”
Senga missed the first four months of the season after being diagnosed during spring training with a shoulder strain.
He then injured his calf during his season debut on July 26, putting the rest of the year in jeopardy.
Earlier this month, Senga said he hopes to return on September 25, when he is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list. He is open to doing so as a reliever, he said at the time.
Asked Tuesday if that timeline remains realistic, Mendoza said, “Yes, as long as he feels good and continues to progress.”
“It’s day-to-day, but hopefully we’ll have those conversations here soon enough,” Mendoza said.
LINDOR LATEST
After his MRI on Monday, Lindor expressed confidence that he will return this season.
Tuesday didn’t come with much of an update, but Mendoza said of his star shortstop: “Talking to the trainers, right away they told me he was doing better.”
Lindor, 30, started 148 of the Mets’ first 149 games, including 147 at shortstop. The National League MVP candidate leads the Mets with 86 RBIs, 27 stolen bases and an .836 OPS.