No, not the Dodgers. The other former spot, in Baltimore. The Orioles once had an infield that rivaled some of the best in the MLB. But, like the Tigers, the best of the Orioles were traded away.
In 2018, Machado saw his last days as a regular at Camden Yards. He played 96 games at shortstop for the O’s and was paid $16 million. In 2018, the Tigers paid Iglesias $6 million.
Machado was replaced by Tim Beckham and Jonathan Villar, but Beckham is now with the Minnesota Twins. And, Villar is set to play second base with the O’s. According to the O’s depth chart, shortstop is expected to be manned by Richie Martin who has yet to play in the MLB.
The Orioles have several needs, with shortstop being one of the biggest. It is highly unlikely that they are in the market for Manny Machado, and they might not be in the market for anyone at all as the team is clearly rebuilding. But, Iglesias could provide some veteran leadership at a vital position.
The Orioles had several players move into free agency at the end of the 2018 season and only have a few players with big contracts remaining. There is some room to pay a player like Iglesias something more than the $6 million he made with Detroit. And, since most position player contracts have only been for one or two years, the Orioles could get a good shortstop, but not be on the hook for too long.
While it would be more fun to watch him on a contending team, he and Villar could have some fun turning double plays together. And, a signing like Iglesias could help fill a few seats at Camden Yards once word of his skills spread through Birdland.