No way, Jose! Detroit Tigers shortstop Iglesias officially ruled out for 2014

Oct 17, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers shortstop

(1) reacts after being called out at first base against the Boston Red Sox during the fifth inning in game five of the American League Championship Series baseball game at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Welp, how’s that for timing?

After a night when Andrew Romine committed his worst action as a Detroit Tiger, and with fans hopeful of a heroic return of Jose Iglesias to finally stabilize the shortstop position, general manager Dave Dombrowski delivered a death knell to Iglesias’ chances of returning in 2014.

According to Tony Paul, of the Detroit News, Dombrowski had this to say about Jose’s situation:

“We do not plan on having Iglesias back with us this year. He is progressing as projected, but we do not think he will be ready at any point this season to play.”

For all intent and purposes, most figured Jose would be gone for the year. He was going to be reevaluated somewhere along the way with a slight possibility (very slight) of returning from his shin problems in September. The young shortstop did not undergo surgery, instead rest and rehabilitation was suggested.

So where do the Tigers go from here?

“We do not plan on having Iglesias back with us this year. He is progressing as projected, but we do not think he will be ready at any point this season to play.”

1. Stay the course: I was a proponent of Romine staying the featured shortstop, arguing that while he is worse at the plate than Iglesias, he does a serviceable job at short. His atrocious at-bats and sputtering defense of late have made me reconsider this. The team doesn’t seem to be sold on Danny Worth as an everyday option and he had a couple really bad games defensively to sort of prove their point.
2. Give Eugenio Suarez a chance: This seems to be the most likely scenario here as Suarez has had a tremendous year in the minors–though he’d be more of an offensive upgrade than a defensive one. Hernan Perez is also languishing in Toledo and has had a couple stints in Detroit.
3. Potential trade: When Stephen Drew was plucked off the market by the Red Sox, the two top targets for Detroit appear to become Asdrubal Cabrera and Jimmy Rollins. Of course, the Indians have won five straight and they will not be weakening their team if they feel they have a shot at the division or wild-card. With a trade, though, the Tigers have to have something desirable in return and with a lack of Top 100 prospects, that may pose a problem.

For now the team will do nothing and hope the issues that have plagued shortstop in the field and the lineup will rectify themselves.