José Iglesias has plenty to celebrate.
The Mets infielder delivered the first multi-homer game of his 12-year MLB career on Friday, days after his viral pop single “OMG” debuted atop Billboard’s Latin Digital Song Sales chart.
The Spanish-language hit emerged as a rallying cry for the red-hot Mets. Its upbeat lyrics blare over the Citi Field speakers after home runs, while an “OMG” cutout became a staple of celebrations in the Mets’ dugout.
“It’s a privilege,” Iglesias told the Daily News of his song’s resonance. “It’s not even about me. It’s about the team. It’s about winning. It’s about keeping the good energy around.”
The song’s sudden rise is symbolic, considering Iglesias continues to establish himself as a similarly unexpected success story with the Mets.
When Iglesias, 34, made his Mets debut on May 31, it marked his first appearance in an MLB game since 2022, when he played for Colorado.
Long renowned for his defense, the Cuban-born Iglesias is a .280 career hitter over stints with the Red Sox, Tigers, Reds, Orioles, Angels, Rockies and, now, Mets.
He hit .292 during his lone season in Colorado but failed to make an MLB roster last year, spending time in the minors with Miami and San Diego but ultimately opting out of both deals.
“Definitely surprised,” Iglesias said of his lack of big-league opportunities in 2023. “Very disappointed with the teams to not even give me a shot to compete after having such a good season in ’22, but it’s in the past. I never put my head down. I keep my chin up. I keep moving forward. I work hard.”
Iglesias signed a minor-league deal with the Mets in December and, after hitting .273 with seven home runs in 42 games at Triple-A Syracuse, was called up in late May when third baseman Brett Baty was sent down.
A two-homer performance in Friday night’s win against the Rockies boosted Iglesias’ average to .347 through 28 games. A shortstop by trade, Iglesias has started 17 games at second base this season and made 13 appearances at third, often as a late-inning defensive replacement.
“He’s a great person and brings great vibes, and the song is catchy, but at the end of the day, it’s not just about the song,” shortstop Francisco Lindor told The News of Iglesias.
“It’s about a bunch of guys playing for each other, and he’s a big part of why the clubhouse got together. … When Iggy showed up, we have a song that everybody sings, so we have even better vibes.”
Iglesias, whose musical stage name is Candelita, released “OMG” on June 28, then performed it at Citi Field after a win over the Houston Astros that night. He said he was “definitely shocked” to see the song, which is about happiness prevailing over negativity, become a chart-topper.
“I was excited when I saw No. 1 on Billboard,” Iglesias said. “Definitely, it’s a dream come true, but the most important thing is the energy that we’re leaving in the stadium every single day. The fans, the kids, every age, singing, dancing.”
Entering Saturday, the Mets were 25-12 since Iglesias’ debut.
“The song is viral,” Iglesias said. “The team is winning. There’s no better place to be.”
BADER MAINTENANCE
Iglesias and Harrison Bader, who also hit two home runs on Friday, were out of the starting lineup on Saturday with right-hander Ryan Feltner pitching for Colorado.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the decision was partly about maintenance, with Iglesias a couple of days removed from a flu bout that required an IV and Bader less than two weeks removed from a crash into the wall at Nationals Park.
Bader, 30, left that July 2 game with a sore neck and sat out until July 5.
It’s been an overall healthy season for Bader, who spent time on the injured list last year with oblique, hamstring and groin ailments with the Yankees and Reds.
“He’s investing a lot of time in the training room, in the weight room,” said Mendoza, who was Bader’s bench coach with the Yankees.
“I think he cut down his workload before the game as well, so he’s got to give it a different routine when it comes down to monitoring his swings on the field or in the cages. And then just the two of us having a conversation. There’s going to be days where he feels like he can go, but we have to be smart about it, and I’ll give him a day.”
Bader and Iglesias both entered Saturday’s game as defensive replacements, with Bader striking out in his lone at-bat.
SMITH SURGERY
Drew Smith underwent right elbow surgery on Friday, with the reliever requiring a UCL reconstruction with an internal brace procedure, the Mets said Saturday.
“You hate to see it, because obviously it’s going to take a full year for him,” Mendoza said. “So he’ll miss the whole next year, but he’s still young. He’ll get back on the field. He’ll get back on track, and he’s got a lot of innings left in him. We’ll pray for him, for a quick recovery, and we will support him.”
Smith, 30, is an impending free agent who pitched to a 3.06 ERA in 17.2 innings this season.
It’s the second Tommy John surgery for Smith, who also had the operation in 2019.
