DETROIT — Amid the fan following for Shohei Ohtani at Comerica Park on Tuesday night, there was a fan with a sign behind the visiting dugout: “Welcome back, José Iglesias.”
Iglesias noticed the sign and waved as he walked toward the dugout following his infield work. He put on a show for some of his old fans, including a flip of the ball as he took grounders. It was a reminder of the highlight reel he put together over his five seasons in Detroit.
“It’s fun to be back and see the love from the fans,” Iglesias said. “I love it, man. I love it.”
He’s three years separated from his Tiger tenure, and on his third team. Amazingly, this week marks his first series back in Detroit since he became a free agent following the 2018 season. The Reds didn’t face the Tigers in Interleague Play during his 2019 season in Cincinnati. When the Reds and Tigers faced each other in two series last year, Iglesias was with Baltimore.
The Angels are his fourth team in as many years. But he has added Ohtani and Mike Trout to a list of superstar teammates in his career that includes Miguel Cabrera.
“It’s just a unique situation I’m in,” he said. “Playing for different teams is not fun. I’ll tell you, it’s been a grind for me. But on the other hand, I get an opportunity to play with Trout and Ohtani and Joey Votto and so many players around the league. I try to use that to my benefit for my career, and I think it’s a unique opportunity. I try to take the positive out of it. For sure, I learn from those guys.”
Iglesias still remembers meeting Cabrera for the first time after coming over from the Red Sox at the 2013 Trade Deadline. He had played with David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia in Boston, but he couldn’t wait to meet Cabrera.
“I get here early [after the trade], and literally the only guy that I’m waiting for is Miggy, because it was Miggy,” he said. “And then he shows up with the hat and all that, and I was like, ‘That’s the guy.’ And I came and say hi, and since then we clicked.”
Cabrera had a big influence on the early seasons of Iglesias’ career, he said, from his ability to play through injuries to his pregame work.
“I learned a lot from Miggy, his consistency, his leadership,” Iglesias said. “He’s just a unique player. He can be difficult at times, but generally speaking, he’s great. I love Miggy. Beyond baseball, he’s my friend. I couldn’t be more happy for him to achieve this, through everything he’s been through and playing through stuff that probably me and a few teammates know.
“I think personality-wise, he loved my energy. We just love each other, and it was a great way for me to learn, to see his routine, his preparation. Miggy doesn’t say much, but what he does is very special.”
For Cabrera to get to the precipice of 500 home runs is all the more impressive, Iglesias said, given the ballpark.
“You look at Miami and you look at here, it’s quite an achievement,” he said. “I’m grinding to get my 900th hit, and he’s going to have 500 home runs soon.
“I keep eyes on Miggy. I keep eyes on the team as well. Very excited for him. Hopefully he can do it after the next three days, just not against us, because I want to see it and experience it. Just truly happy for him. He’s a guy that played through a lot, and that will be a great achievement for him and his family and the whole team.”