Jorge Polanco is a Met.
The power-hitting veteran is expected to spend most of his time at first base and designated hitter, according to noti.group’s Jon Heyman, making Polanco a quasi Pete Alonso replacement, while bouncing around the other infield spots.
There’s only one problem. Polanco has only made the smallest of cameos at first base during his 12-year big league career.
And it wasn’t on purpose.
On April 6 against the Giants last season, Polanco entered the game with two outs in the ninth inning after Mariners outfielder Victor Robles dislocated his shoulder jumping into the netting at Oracle Park.
Dylan Moore moved from first to third base while Miles Mastrobuoni went from third to right field in Robles’ place, paving the way for Polanco’s MLB debut at first base.
On the very next pitch, the Giants’ Wilmer Flores hit a walk-off single, ending the game and Polanco’s brief stint at his new position.
While that appearance was his only stop at first base, Polanco has spent plenty of time at more difficult positions, playing hundreds of career games at shortstop and second base and 29 career games at the hot corner.
Overall last season, Polanco spent the bulk of his time at DH, adding 39 games at second, a handful at third and his emergency appearance at first.
But with Alonso, who played 160 games at first last season, now in Baltimore, the Mets will currently need Polanco to spend plenty of time at the position.
Polanco, who agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal to come to Queens, will need to replace a big hole in the Mets’ lineup as well.
In 2025, Polanco hit .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs for the Mariners.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
