This Iglesias play will take your breath away

March 8th, 2021

Angels fans got a taste of what new addition can bring defensively at shortstop in Sunday's 6-2 win over Seattle, as he made an incredible play on a slow roller from Mariners center fielder Kyle Lewis in the fourth inning.

Iglesias, acquired in an offseason trade with the Orioles, showed off his range on a grounder that slowly rolled off the third-base side of the mound. Iglesias then incredibly barehanded the ball and threw it to first in time while diving to the ground. It was an amazingly quick release of the ball that he somehow got enough on to get the speedy Lewis.

Amazingly, Iglesias made a nearly identical play on Aug. 12, 2013, as a member of the Tigers, when he scrambled to barehand a Josh Phegley trickler and flicked the ball to first in midair in time for the out.

Iglesias has never won a Gold Glove Award, but he’s long been considered one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball. He’s also coming off a season that saw him hit .373/.400/.556 with three homers and 24 RBIs in 39 games with Baltimore. He went 1-for-2 on Sunday and is batting .400 with a homer and five RBIs in five games this spring.

"I want to challenge these guys to win Gold Gloves," Maddon said of the play after the game. "I think we have a lot of potential candidates."