Although MLB player Jose Iglesias may have stepped away from baseball, he isn’t completely ruling out a return to the diamond.
During his recent appearance on Craig Melvin’s “Glass Half Full” podcast, Iglesias was asked if he would ever consider playing baseball again if the opportunity arose. Iglesias last played in September 2025 for the Padres but has not formally retired from the league.
“If that phone rings, and it’s not Broadway and it’s MLB, I’ll be there because I feel good,” Iglesias told Craig.
Iglesias, 36, made his MLB debut in 2011 and became a free agent after the 2025 season. He’s most recently pivoted to Broadway, debuting in “Buena Vista Social Club” in August 2026.
Former New York Mets player Jose “Candelita” Iglesias makes his Broadway debut in “Buena Vista Social Club” Aug. 27.Bruce Glikas / Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
While Iglesias said he would play in the MLB, he had one caveat.
“I have to have a personal feeling for the team,” he said. “I’m in that state of my life where (it’s) not just to play, but to play for something.”
He then named the two teams that already meet that: the New York Mets and the San Diego Padres.
Iglesias played for the New York Mets during the team’s 2024 Cinderella season, which culminated in a playoff run to the National League Championship. The Mets lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers, just missing a World Series appearance.
Iglesias was a fan favorite during the 2024 season after releasing the song “OMG” under his stage name Candelita. In addition to serving as his walk-up song, “OMG” became the team’s unofficial anthem that season.
The Mets did not resign Iglesias for the 2025 season, and he signed with the Padres.
Iglesias said both the Mets and Padres “opened the door” for him when he thought his career was ending, “so I have to show loyalty for both of them.”
“Any of those organizations would be a privilege, would be an honor,” he added. “And obviously, I hope it’s the Mets.”
“You just made a lot of people very happy,” Craig said.
He then offered Iglesias the hypothetical choice between another Broadway appearance and playing for the Mets.
“You know what? That will be an easy answer,” Iglesias said. “New York Mets all day long.”