The New York Mets returned to Citi Field for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. The Mets jumped out to an early lead and never looked back, beating the Phillies 7-2 and taking a 2-1 series lead. New York is now one win away from eliminating their NL East rivals and advancing to the Championship Series.

Following the big win one of the Mets under-the-radar heroes, Jose Iglesias, was asked how much the team wanted to close out Philadelphia in the next game of the series on Wednesday. “Every game is important. Tonight’s game was very important. Tomorrow’s game is going to be even more important. Every game matters. Most definitely we’re going to go up there with the same energy and try to compete and try to win every inning,” Iglesias responded, via SNY on X.

Iglesias signed with the Mets for the 2024 season after failing to reach the majors in 2023. He quickly proved he was more than just a depth piece, slashing .337/.381/.448 with an OPS+ of 137 and 3.1 bWAR in 85 games for New York. Iglesias became one of the team leaders and a key to their success with his clutch hitting and solid fielding at second base. And, the song he recorded, “OMG,” became something of an anthem and rallying cry for the Mets this season.

Jose Iglesias is taking advantage of his opportunity with the Mets

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Oct 8, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jose Iglesias (11) hits a two run single in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field.
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Teammate J.D. Martinez claimed that analytics “screwed” Iglesias’ career, making it difficult for him to find a job despite his success on the field. While Iglesias agreed with the sentiment, he’s trying not to dwell on it, instead focusing on the opportunity he has with the Mets.

New York has been on a wild ride over the last few weeks. The team squeaked into the playoffs by winning one game of a makeup double header against the Atlanta Braves after the regular season ended. The Mets then upset the NL Central-winning Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card round to advance to the Division Series. After splitting the first two games in Philadelphia, the Mets finally returned to New York after a 16-day road trip. The team last played at Citi Field on September 22.

The Mets nearly jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the NLDS but Bryce Harper and the Phillies battled back, pulling out a 7-6 comeback victory in Game 2. After winning at home on Tuesday New York is just one win away from moving on to the NLCS.