José Iglesias celebrates impact of Miguel Cabrera, on and off field

Colorado Rockies shortstop José Iglesias returned to Detroit this weekend and it happened to be perfect timing. Entering Saturday’s doubleheader, Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera had 2,999 career hits.

While the Rockies have allowed their fair share of 3,000th career hits, Iglesias wanted to see Cabrera get his 3,000th career hit on Saturday … really badly.

Why? Iglesias was teammates with Cabrera on the Detroit Tigers from 2013 through 2018 … and he couldn’t sleep on Friday night because he was thinking about it.

And Iglesias got his wish.

Colorado Rockies shortstop José Iglesias wanted to see Miguel Cabrera’s 3,000th career hit

Before Friday’s eventual rainout, José Iglesias spoke with the media, including Rox Pile, before the 3,000th hit by Detroit Tigers designated hitter Miguel Cabrera.

“I couldn’t be happier to be part of such a big thing and hopefully, he can get it done this weekend so I can enjoy it and see it. I mean, I saw like 1,300 of (his hits), I deserve to be here for number 3,000,” Iglesias said, laughing. “I don’t care where he’s at, I’m greeting him.

“I don’t care if it’s at first, wherever. It doesn’t matter … He was a big part of my career. We talk a lot (and) we are very close. He was a big part of my growth as a player and beyond baseball, we are pretty close too.”

Iglesias did exactly as he said he would as he was one of the first people to greet Cabrera when he got a single to right field for his 3,000th hit.

We caught up with Iglesias again after the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader and after the 3,000th hit.

Iglesias was asked what he said to that when he hugged him at first base, he said “We did it!” to Cabrera.

Iglesias said that when they spoke before the game today, both of them said to each other that they couldn’t sleep because they were so pumped up for the situation on Saturday.

“I couldn’t sleep (last night) so you better hit it (today),” Iglesias said.

He also said that it was the first time that he was rooting for an opposing player to get a hit against his team.

“We might not experience something like this ever again,” Iglesias said. As it stands, there are only three active players with more than 2,000 hits and each of the three are at least 38 years old already (entering Saturday, Robinson Cano is 39 and at 2,630, Yadier Molina is 39 and at 2,115, and Joey Votto is 38 and at 2,035).

Rockies bench coach Mike Redmond also is former teammates with Miguel Cabrera. Redmond was on deck when Miguel Cabrera got his first MLB hit (a walk-off two-run homer in the 11th inning in 2003). They won the World Series together in 2003 and were teammates again in 2004.

Redmond echoed a similar sentiment as Iglesias did.

“I don’t know if we’ll see another (player get 3,000 hits),” Redmond said. “There’s a lot of guys with a lot of hits but if they can stay out there for as many years as Miggy has, that’s the key so I don’t know if we’ll witness that again.”

Redmond also wasn’t sure of how things would unfold for Cabrera getting 3,000 before he faced the Rockies.

“It was crazy just seeing how this thing unfolded,” Redmond said on the Rockies being the team to face Cabrera for the 3,000th hit. Cabrera got three hits on Wednesday and went 0-for-3 with a controversial intentional walk in his final plate appearance against the Yankees on Thursday.

“We were on the golf course and we finished up and were in the clubhouse watching (Thursday’s game on Colorado’s off-day),” said Redmond. “The outcome, for us, wasn’t great but to see his first hit and his 3,000th was pretty cool.”

The Rockies lost 13-0 but they have a quick turnaround as they will play the second game of their doubleheader in just over an hour.