NEW YORK — Jose Iglesias found a way to ignite the Mets clubhouse and its fan base as soon as he entered the fray during the 2024 season.
The veteran infielder infused a badly-needed energy and leadership with the Mets fading in the standings. By the end of the campaign, with his Latin pop hit “OMG” serving as the team’s soundtrack, the Mets fired their way into the National League Championship Series.
Now, two years later, Iglesias is bringing that fire and energy into a far different setting than the baseball diamond, just down the road on Broadway.
The 36-year-old will become the first Major League Baseball player to perform on Broadway when he takes the role of Narrator in “Buena Visa Social Club” for a six-week stint starting on Aug. 27 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
“It’s very smooth. The energy, it’s an excellent musical. I’m surrounded by great teammates over there,” Iglesias said before throwing out the first pitch before the Mets’ game on Tuesday at Citi Field. “They support me on a daily basis. They know this is totally new for me.
“I believe it’s the first time in MLB history that a Latin player is acting on Broadway. It’s a fun responsibility that I have in my hands. I’m grabbing it with two hands, just like a ground ball, and then I won’t let it go.”
Jose Iglesias’ tough departure from Mets
When Iglesias was called up to the Mets on May 31, 2024, the Mets found themselves at 10 games under .500.
Iglesias turned out to be one of the catalysts for an improbable rise. They closed the season with a 67-40 record and grabbing a playoff berth on the season’s final day.
The infielder turned out to be as clutch as any player in the league, delivering a .375/.419/.482 slash line with runners in scoring position and a .337 batting average in 85 games before the run to the NLCS.
“The way how things started that year and how we flipped it as a team, it was unique,” Iglesias said. “It’s what baseball’s about, that culture, that family energy and competing. We never gave up. Regardless of the results, we never gave up as a group and we really love each other as human beings.”
The way that team galvanized to make a deep run made Iglesias’ realization that he would not be back all the tougher. Iglesias had been looking for apartments in New York City, but the call never came, and he eventually signed a minor league deal with the Padres in March 2025.
“I personally don’t have to agree with it, but I respect their decisions completely,” Iglesias said. “But just detaching me with this organization hurt me. That’s true. I really enjoy being around these guys. And that goes way beyond the ninth inning. That goes way beyond a baseball season. It’s a personal feeling and a special relationship that I have, not just with the players but with the staff, with the security, with everybody around the stadium. It was a family energy that I definitely miss.”
Jose Iglesias on finding his footing on Broadway Stage
The call did not come from another major league team, but a Broadway producer this year.
The Cuban-born Iglesias felt like the perfect fit for a musical based on an impromptu group of Cuban musicians who came together for an album that was produced in seven days in 1996. The album would go on to win a Grammy, and the musical, which opened in March 2025, was nominated for 10 Tony Awards.
For Iglesias, the fusion of his musical talents and an opportunity to return to New York made the opening a “no brainer.”
“I’m not an actor. I’m putting a lot of time and effort in those rehearsals,” Iglesias said. “I have a big responsibility on my shoulders. I’m representing Cuban music on the biggest stage in the world, and I want to do it right. I take it with discipline. It’s definitely the baseball discipline, the routines and everything. I’m kind of translating it to a theater.”
Iglesias called it a privilege to step on the Broadway stage and he finds himself leaning on his acting teammates to eventually come through when he debuts. For now, that thrill is as good as a game-winning hit.
And after the acting debut is over, Iglesias would not rule out a return to his roots.
“I’m in a lot better shape than a lot of people out there, I’m telling you,” Iglesias said with a laugh. “If it happens, I’m ready. If it don’t, I’m ready. It’s just however life comes.
“I always look at the positive out of it. For me, it’s make an impact. This time I get to do it through music, through acting. God knows what happens next year. Nobody knows what happens tomorrow, so why worry?”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jose Iglesias reflects on Mets’ ‘OMG’ era, return to NY for Broadway
