Detroit Tigers: Jose Iglesias Has a Day

From the moment he joined the Detroit Tigers, Jose Iglesias has been one of the most exciting players to watch. Against Chris Sale and the Chicago White Sox, Iglesias again earned a spot on the highlight reel.

Jose Iglesias was traded to the Detroit Tigers back in 2013 when rumors of Jhonny Peralta‘s suspension for PED’s was looming. Dave Dombrowski put together an epic trade dealing Avisail Garcia to the White Sox, Jake Peavy to the Red Sox, and Iglesias to Detroit.

In 2013, the young Cuban shortstop showed flashes of brilliance. He batted .259 in 46 games. Unfortunately, he sat out the entire 2014 season due to issues with his shins. The Tigers played a platoon at his position and in 2015, he returned with a bang.

In 2015, Iglesias played in 120 games earning a .300 batting average and his first invitation to the All-Star Game. He hit two home runs. He was injured for a short time last season, but it was due to an injury to one of his fingers.

More from Detroit Tigers News

• Detroit Tigers: Garrett Hill’s new role and changed delivery are excellent
• Detroit Tigers: Joe Jiménez has rebounded in 2022
• Detroit Tigers: Is it finally time to move the fences in at Comerica Park?
• Detroit Tigers: Riley Greene continues to impress with his performance
• Detroit Tigers: Outlook on Jace Jung is a little concerning

Iglesias is a joy to watch on offense and defense. While he is not a power hitter by any means, he knows how to put the ball in play. His career OPS is .684. While that is not comparable to hitters like Ian Kinsler (.910) or Victor Martinez (.902), it is important to keep in mind that Iglesias is the 9th batter on a team loaded with All-Stars.

On defense, Iglesias is like no other. His acrobatics fielding balls are memorable. His ability to transfer the ball is like magic. Against the White Sox in today’s game, he managed to flip the ball out of his glove behind his back to his double play partner Kinsler. Iglesias has a kinesthetic ability that sets him apart from the rest of pack.

If his defensive back toss to Kinsler wasn’t enough for one game, Iglesias added to his day by hitting his second home run of the season. Keep in mind that Iglesias only hit two home runs all season last year. His first home run of 2016 was off of ace pitcher Max Scherzer. His second was hit off of ace pitcher Chris Sale. If Iglesias continues this streak, we, the fans, might get to see him hit dingers off of aces like Corey Kluber, Chris Archer, or Felix Hernandez.

Even though the home run was all Iglesias, his work on defense is not his alone. He and Ian Kinsler were named the best middle infield duos in all of baseball in 2015. So far, in 2016, Iglesias has turned 43 double plays in 58 games. In 60 games, Kinsler has turned 53 double plays. These two are practically unstoppable when the ball comes their way.

Next: Tigers Need a Fourth Outfielder

As Iglesias continues to perfect his skills on offense and defense, there will be plenty more highlight reel hits and plays as the season progresses.