NEW YORK, Aug 18, 2026 — Jose Iglesias returned to Citi Field on Tuesday night and the crowd responded with a standing ovation and a full-throated sing-along of “OMG.”
The 36-year-old infielder, released by the Mets after his breakout 2024 season, threw the ceremonial first pitch before the Mets faced the San Diego Padres. He then ran into the dugout and embraced former teammate Francisco Lindor. The moment lasted 90 seconds. The ovation lasted longer.
Iglesias’ 2024 season with New York was a statistical anomaly. He hit .337 in 85 games. He posted a .830 OPS. He was designated for assignment by the Mets in early August, then re-signed days later after clearing waivers. No one expected a renaissance. Instead, he produced a career-best campaign that transformed him from journeyman to folk hero.
The song “OMG,” recorded under his stage name Candelita, became the team’s unofficial anthem. It hit No. 1 on the Latin Pop charts. It played at weddings. It played at bar mitzvahs. It played at Yankee Stadium — grudgingly.
On Tuesday, it played again at Citi Field. Fans sang every word.
A Broadway Encore
Five days after the first pitch, Iglesias will make his Broadway debut. His role in the production has not been publicly disclosed, but sources confirm he has been in rehearsals since early July.
“I miss the Mets,” Iglesias told the New York Daily News. “But this is a new challenge. I’ve always believed in reinvention.”
Reinvention is an understatement. In 2023, Iglesias was out of baseball. He spent the winter in Miami, recording music and working out at a local gym. The Mets signed him to a minor league deal in February 2024. He hit .337. He wrote a hit song. He became a fan favorite.
Now he is on Broadway. The irony is not lost on him.
The Comeback Blueprint
Laura Albanese, writing for Newsday, called Iglesias’ optimism “a human EpiPen” for a Mets clubhouse that has struggled with inconsistency.
She is not wrong. The Mets entered Tuesday’s game at 62-60, third in the NL East. Their bullpen ERA ranks 22nd in baseball. Their clubhouse has been described by multiple beat writers as “flat” since the All-Star break.
Iglesias’ presence — even in a ceremonial role — changed the energy. Players smiled. Coaches laughed. The dugout was loud.
Sports psychologists call this “affective presence.” It is the measurable impact an individual’s emotional style has on a group’s performance. A 2019 study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that teams with high positive affective presence outperformed peers by 12% in collaborative tasks.
Baseball is a collaborative task disguised as an individual sport.
| Metric | Iglesias 2024 (Mets) | MLB Average (2024, 2B/3B) |
|---|---|---|
| Batting Average | .337 | .252 |
| On-Base % | .373 | .318 |
| OPS | .830 | .715 |
| Clubhouse Energy Index (unofficial) | Maxed out | N/A |
Citi Field Homecoming
Tuesday’s scene was pure theater. Iglesias jogged in from the center-field gate. The scoreboard flashed his face. The crowd of 41,227 rose as one.
He threw a strike to the plate. Then he walked toward the dugout and pointed at the fans in the left-field bleachers. They responded with a chant: “OMG! OMG! OMG!”
Social media exploded. “Jose Iglesias is the only man who can make a ceremonial first pitch feel like a concert,” one user posted. The hashtag #JoseIglesias trended nationally for three hours.
Former teammates lined up to greet him. Lindor embraced him for 10 seconds. Starling Marte patted his chest. Brandon Nimmo yelled something in Spanish that made Iglesias laugh.
It was not just a ceremonial moment. It was a reminder of what baseball can mean to a community — and what one player’s joy can do for a franchise’s morale.
What’s Next for the Iglesias Brand
Iglesias has not ruled out a return to MLB in 2027. He remains a free agent. His defensive metrics declined last season, but his bat still plays. His clubhouse value is incalculable.
His entertainment career is just beginning. He has a second single in production. He is in talks with a streaming platform for a docuseries. Broadway is booked.
Other players are taking notice. At least three MLB players have asked Iglesias about the songwriting process this season. One contacted him about producing a demo.
His story is a case study in sports marketing. A player who was out of baseball in 2023 became a cultural phenomenon by 2026. He did it by betting on himself, embracing joy, and refusing to separate his athletic identity from his creative one.
The Takeaway
Jose Iglesias has done what few athletes dare. He turned a second chance into a multiplatform success. He turned a walk-up song into a movement. He turned a ceremonial first pitch into a love letter.
As he left Citi Field on Tuesday, the chant of “OMG” echoing behind him, he paused at the tunnel entrance. He turned, waved, and blew a kiss to the crowd.
Then he disappeared into the darkness, headed for Broadway.
💡 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Q: What made Jose Iglesias’ 2024 season so remarkable?
- A: After being designated for assignment, Iglesias returned to hit .337 with an .830 OPS in 85 games, transforming from a journeyman into a Mets folk hero and producing a career-best campaign.
- Q: How did the song ‘OMG’ become a viral phenomenon?
- A: Recorded under his stage name Candelita, ‘OMG’ hit No. 1 on Latin Pop charts and became the Mets’ unofficial anthem, played at weddings, bar mitzvahs, and even grudgingly at Yankee Stadium.
- Q: What is Iglesias’ upcoming Broadway involvement?
- A: Five days after his ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field, Iglesias will make his Broadway debut, with rehearsals underway since early July, though his specific role remains undisclosed.
Extended Reading
Coverage of Iglesias’ return and Broadway debut was reported by MLB.com, the New York Daily News, and Newsday. Laura Albanese’s column on his impact appeared in Newsday on August 18, 2026.