Ex-Red Sox Shortstop Reportedly Signs With National League Suiter

Boston would have been a strong fit as well

Scott Neville | Mar 9, 2023

Ex-Red Sox Shortstop Reportedly Signs With National League Suiter /

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The Boston Red Sox were tasked with revamping their middle infield when Xander Bogaerts left in free agency and Trevor Story underwent what could become season-ending elbow surgery.

With multiple roster spots available and Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom proclaiming his desire to add multiple middle infielders, many thought Boston would look toward a player who already has logged two stints with the team and was available in free agency -- veteran middle infielder José Iglesias.

The likelihood of the third reunion was dwindling by the day. Now it appears that fans can put the idea of Iglesias re-joining the Red Sox out of their heads.

"Along with Yuli Gurriel, Marlins have also signed José Iglesias to a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training," The Athletic's Katie Woo reported Thursday night.

Iglesias hit .292 with 33 extra-base hits including three home runs, 47 RBIs and a .708 OPS in 118 games with the Colorado Rockies last season. The 33-year-old does not provide much pop but only struck out 56 times in 467 plate appearances and plays league-average defense up the middle.

While Iglesias is far removed from his All-Star days, many believed he would have been a quality addition to the Red Sox's roster this season -- myself included.

Instead, Bloom traded for shortstop Adalberto Mondesí -- who has potential but is currently recovering from an ACL tear and has been one of the most injury-prone players in Major League Baseball. Then Bloom brought back utility man Yu Chang. Outside of reliable defense and versatility, the 27-year-old holds little value.

Iglesias wasn't going to replace Bogaerts or Story but he would have bolstered a middle infield that lacks proven commodities.

The good news is that Iglesias will get a chance to prove his value after spending far too many months in free agency this winter.

More MLB: Ex-Red Sox Pitcher Blasts Team’s Handling Of Xander Bogaerts

Published Mar 9, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu