The Baltimore Orioles may have solidified their 2020 shortstop situation. The team appears to have signed veteran shortstop Jose Iglesias yesterday to a one-year contract. Iglesias will make $3 million this season. There’s also a $3 million club option for 2021. The Orioles have yet to confirm the deal.
Iglesias is a good defensive shortstop, who should add some stability to a middle infield that had it’s issues last year. He’s a career .273 hitter, and has a career OPS of .687. I’ll be interested to see what this means for Ritchie Martin, last year’s Rule 5 pick. I suspect he starts the season in Norfolk.
One would assume that Iglesias will jump to the top of the depth chart, and be the Opening Day starting shortstop. Iglesias should be a very viable replacement for Jonathan Villar, who the O’s traded to Miami earlier this off season. The difference is that it’s a lower years’ commitment, which makes the roster easier for the Orioles to manage moving forward.
Birdland Crush 