There was a time this season when it seemed the Mets were waiting to get their high-priced, veteran players healthy in order to get them in the lineup and make a run at salvaging the season.
Jorge Polanco was a part of that group when he went down with a right wrist contusion April 14.
By the time he finally returned to the Mets on Tuesday night at Citi Field, Polanco had become a face of everything that’s gone wrong for the team this year.
He’s still not fully recovered from the Achilles bursitis that’s plagued him all season — and helped keep him on the IL for nearly three months — even though he was initially sidelined by the wrist injury.
And even as Polanco returned, it’s only as a part-time player — as he will be limited to DH duties, at least in the short term.
But beggars can’t be choosers, so the 33-year-old was back in the lineup as the Mets opened a homestand against the Royals at Citi Field.
“I’m feeling good,’’ Polanco said. “I’m excited to be here. Grateful to be back.”
Polanco was signed to a two-year, $40 million contract as a piece of the offseason roster overhaul that saw the arrival of Bo Bichette, Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr., among others, along with departure of Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil.
The results have been worse than anyone could have imagined, as by the time Polanco got back, with Robert still sidelined, a new manager greeted him.
“We’re most excited about his bat right now,” interim manager Andy Green said before the game. “If he ends up at first base as time goes on, that would be great. His bat has a lot of value for us.”
Polanco being stuck at DH will likely limit the time other players — like Francisco Alvarez — will get at the position.
Alvarez and Luis Torrens have split time behind the plate, with Alvarez occasionally at DH, a combination “that probably lessens to some degree now,’’ according to Green.
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Green also pointed to liking the presence of a switch-hitter on the bench in Polanco.
But this was hardly the scenario the Mets envisioned when they brought in Polanco, hoping he could be part of a revamped lineup that would have more flexibility on defense.
There’s still no expectation of when that might happen, but Polanco said he’s had “more good days than bad days” of late during his minor league rehab assignment, which is why the move was made to bring him back to the majors.
Perhaps just as worrisome is the fact that there’s no telling when his Achilles injury will be behind him.
Polanco said the discomfort was “improving” and is unsure if he’ll need to have any kind of procedure following the season.
Not surprisingly, Polanco called his first season as a Met “frustrating.”
“You can’t control it,’’ Polanco said of the injuries. “You want to be there and I want to help the team. I was just trying to get healthy and I’m back here now, so I am happy.”
Whether he can get the Mets out of their malaise is a different matter.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
