Red Sox Predicted To Reunite With Former Mets Fan-Favorite For 3rd Stint In Boston

At this point, Boston Red Sox fans are wondering if the team is going to sign any major league free-agent hitters this offseason.

Oct 2, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Jose Iglesias (left) is congratulated after scoring a run against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images Brad Mills-Imagn Images

It's become something of an alarming trend: the Red Sox have shied away from the free-agent position player market completely since Craig Breslow took over as Chief Baseball Officer. Their biggest addition last winter came via trade (Tyler O'Neill), and this winter, there have been virtually zero addiitons.

While holding out hope for Alex Bregman might be destined to cause pain, there are still useful players available who could improve the Red Sox's roster, especially early in the season, before top prospects like Kristian Campbell and Roman Anthony potentially settle in as reliable contributors.

Campbell is in competition with Vaughn Grissom for the starting second-base job, which looks to be the only position up in the air heading into Spring Training. Is it too late for the organization to throw in one more challenger for the role.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter recently projected Opening Day lineups for all 30 Major League Baseball teams, and the second-base spot for the Red Sox was a bit of a surprise: former Red Sox infielder and 2024 New York Mets fan-favorite Jose Iglesias.

"Veteran Jose Iglesias could be the perfect stopgap to give Kristian Campbell and Marcelo Mayer a bit more time in the minors to begin the 2025 season," Reuter wrote.

"The 35-year-old can easily shift into a utility role once one of those top prospects is ready to take over at second base, and he brings a positive clubhouse presence to a team looking to rebound from a disappointing year."

Iglesias batted a ridiculous .337 in 270 at-bats for the Mets last season, a torrid pace he shouldn't be expected to keep up in 2025. He also captured the hearts of Mets fans and baseball fans alike with his catchy song "OMG," which echoed through Citi Field whenever the home team hit a home run.

Iglesias also owns a .724 OPS and 2.4 bWAR in parts of four seasons with the Red Sox, including a memorable stint in September 2021, when he helped secure a playoff berth for Boston with a .915 OPS in 23 games, though he was sadly ineligible for the playoff roster.

Though Iglesias shouldn't be expected to catch lightning in a bottle for a second straight year, his presence could help the Red Sox. It's far from a flashy addition, but it could lengthen the lineup, especially early in the season.