Could the Red Sox reunite with Jose Iglesias to add additional depth up the middle?
The Red Sox are reportedly still looking to upgrade the clubs middle infield situation. With Kiké Hernandez, Christian Arroyo and Adalberto Mondesi in the mix to play second base and shortstop, the Red Sox still feel short an infielder.
"The Red Sox won’t rule out further roster changes before spring training starts and continue to look to add up-the-middle depth, but team officials suggested that further tweaks are likely limited to the roster’s margins," the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier said.
One name that Sox fans have been bringing up repeatedly has been Jose Iglesias. Boston is no stranger to having Iglesias as he has had two separate stints with the organization.
The 33-year-old began his career with the Red Sox in 2011 and then was traded in 2013 as part of the Jake Peavy three-team trade.
Iglesias returned to Boston during the 2021 season after he was released by the Angels. He appeared 23 games with the club, including 14 starts at second base, while batting .356 with one home run and seven RBIs. Unfortunately, he was ineligible for the postseason roster because he was signed after September 1st.
Iglesias makes some sense in the short-term. Mondesi is expected to miss the start of the season as he recovers from ACL surgery. The former All-Star would be a nice fill in and then complementary bench piece.
Iglesias would likely have to accept a minor league deal to come to the Red Sox. With not many options to DFA on the 40-man roster, right now there may not be room. Boston can place Trevor Story on the 60-day injured list at the end of Spring Training.
Once Story is placed on the injured list, it opens a roster spot up, Iglesias or any other potential infielder can easily be placed on the 40-man.
Iglesias will be sound defensively but offers little with his bat. He hit .341 against off-speed pitches, .296 breaking pitches last season. The veteran shortstop slashed .292/.328/.380 in 118 games with 30 doubles, 47 RBIs.
Once Mondesi and Story comes back, they’ll be a roster logjam. Even with Story not playing the infield. Boston maybe better suited to taken a real hard look at in-house options this spring.
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