The Mets infield depth may have taken a hit

After Nick Madrigal suffered a dislocated shoulder on Sunday, here's why it makes even more sense today for the Mets to bring back Jose Iglesias

Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images

What’s up with the Mets? 🌴

• The Mets played a pair of games on Sunday, falling to the Nationals 11-6 in West Palm Beach, and battling to a 1-1 tie with Miami in Port St. Lucie (Box | Box)

• Young Simon Juan had an impressive day in the game against Washington, going 2-3 with a home run and 4 RBI (watch)

• Notable Mets prospects Jett Williams, Ryan Clifford, and Kevin Parada all played in the game against the Nationals

• In the home game against the Marlins, Brett Baty had two hits including a double

• If Nick Madrigal needs to miss significant time, the Mets are expected to use their young prospects to replace him, perhaps opening the door for the Mets to carry both Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty on the Opening Day roster (SNY)

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Injury Updates 🏥

• IF Nick Madrigal left the Mets game against the Nationals with a dislocated left shoulder. He’ll undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the damage on Monday

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Rumor Mill 💨

• The Cardinals are believed to be open to moving RHP Erick Fedde (St. Louis Post Dispatch)

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Today’s Game 🗓️

Match-up: Mets (1-1-1) @ Cardinals (0-2)

Where: Dean Chevrolet Stadium – Jupiter, FL

Starters: RHP Blade Tidwell vs. LHP Steven Matz

When: 1:05 PM EST

Where to Listen: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM

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Just sign Jose Iglesias already… ✍️

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Re-signing Jose Iglesias this winter is a move that always made sense for the Mets.

Today even more so than yesterday.

We all know about how important Iglesias was to the Mets’ fairytale run in 2024. There is simply no need to rehash how much value he added both with his performance on the field and the intangibles he brought to the clubhouse.

We’ve all read, written, and discussed ad nauseam why the Mets should bring him back for an encore in 2025. Iglesias himself has been vocal about his desire to return to the Mets and his hope that a reunion can still be in the cards.

So why is he still unemployed in the last week of February?

Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns has been open and honest with the media and fans that the Mets would like to keep opportunities open for the top position player prospects in their system—most relevant to this conversation, Luisangel Acuna and Ronny Mauricio.

As much as the Mets love Iglesias personally, the consensus of the front office decision-makers seemed to be that retaining him and inserting him back into potentially a second base platoon with Jeff McNeil would block Acuna and Mauricio’s path to the big leagues.

The issue I had with this attitude from the beginning was that if the Mets planned to have McNeil retain his starting second base position, there really is not a good reason either Acuna or Mauricio should be in the big leagues on opening day anyway.

The worst thing to do with young players is to bring them up and have them sit. Both of them—especially Mauricio coming off a full season lost due to injury—need to be getting regular at-bats in Triple-A.

The Mets clearly felt the same way, as evidenced by their decision to bring in veteran Nick Madrigal to, in theory, serve as the club’s back-up infielder. That move was curious when it first came out because there’s not a single good baseball reason to choose Madrigal over Iglesias. But it also played to the team’s big-picture view. Madrigal would not be a prohibitive reason to block someone like Acuna or Mauricio from replacing him.

Now, in theory, that made sense.

But things don’t always go to plan, and sometimes attitudes need to be adjusted on the fly.

Madrigal had to leave yesterday’s game with the Nationals after dislocating his shoulder. He’ll have an MRI to determine the severity and how long he’ll be out, but there’s no question the injury could throw a wrench in the Mets’ thinking.

As the roster is currently constructed, should Madrigal be out for an extended period of time, Acuna simply has to be on the Major League team as an extra infielder. There is not another good option.

In that case, though, Acuna receiving only limited playing time as a defensive replacement and pinch-runner is not ideal.

So this is a long way for me to say, just sign Iglesias already, please.

He brings the team a capable back-up at shortstop, second base, and third base, allows Acuna and Mauricio to develop in the minor leagues, and really solves so many of the Mets’ remaining issues all at once.

And you know, what? Over the course of a big-league season, injuries are going to happen. They just are. I don’t believe it is a stretch to say that Acuna and Mauricio are both going to play important roles for the Mets in 2025.

So why not let them get regular playing time, gain more experience and confidence, and be ready to contribute when their number is called?

Just give us Iglesias, already. We’re ready for OMG part two.

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Around the League 🚩

• LHP Garrett Crochet made his Red Sox debut on Sunday, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings against Toronto. In that same game, Alex Bregman went 3-3 with a home run

• Junior Caminero connected on his first homer of the spring in the Rays 4-2 win over the Braves

• The Guardians crushed three home runs in a 14-2 drubbing of the Angels

• The Rangers signed former Mets outfielder Kevin Pillar to a minor league deal (Official)