The last time Jose Iglesias was a member of the Red Sox, David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Mike Napoli, and Jonny Gomes were what he called his teammates. The person who put him in the starting lineup? John Farrell, who was a first-year manager at the time.
On July 30th, Jose Iglesias started at third base for Boston, hitting eighth. He went 1-for-3 on the day, singling in the second inning but then getting tagged out at second trying to make it a double.
The Red Sox went on to beat the Mariners 8-2, with Brandon Workman, who was a starter at the time, hurling six one-run innings leading Boston to victory. Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Jared Saltalamacchia all homered.
He was then traded that day, in a three-team deal that included the Red Sox receiving Jake Peavy. The Detroit Tigers received Iglesias, and the Chicago White Sox received Avisaial Garcia.
The person who acquired Iglesias was Tigers president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, who was Boston’s president of baseball ops. from 2015-2019.
Iglesias went on to make a crucial error in Game 2 of the 2013 ALCS vs. the Red Sox, with the Tigers, which led to a David Ortiz grand slam. Boston ended up winning that series by eliminating Detroit and they beat the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series.
Today, he’ll bat eighth, as he was eight years ago. He’s playing shortstop because Xander Bogaerts currently has COVID-19, as he was signed by Boston yesterday after the infielder was released by the Angels. They did both spend time on the 2013 Red Sox, but Bogaerts made his major-league debut 20 days after Iglesias was traded. They also never spent any time together in the minors.
Starting on the mound for the Red Sox, is Eduardo Rodriguez. He was in Double-A with the Orioles in 2013.
(Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)