The New York Mets have signed infielder Jorge Polanco to a 2 year, $40M contract on Saturday, pending the results of a physical. According to reports, the pact does not include any opt-outs or deferred money.
Polanco joins a New York squad which has seen 1st baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz sign big money contracts elsewhere to kick off the start of free agency. With a vacancy at 1st base, and Polanco’s ability to play all over the infield, it’s widely expected that the 32 year old will take over Alonso’s reps at the corner infield spot. His versatility however will allow for Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to deploy him in a variety of situations.
While he doesn’t bring Alonso’s pop at the plate, Polanco did hit .265, with 26 home runs, 78 RBIs and 64 runs scored with Mariners in 2025. The team could look to deploy a platoon of sorts at 1st, with Polanco, Jeff McNeil, and Mark Vientos rotating through 1B/DH roles for the team.
The 12 year veteran was believed to be seeking a 3 year deal in free agency. But when one did not materialize, he opted for the high AAV offer that New York was willing to make. One of the reasons teams were potentially weary of adding an extra year in negotiations was the higher number of appearances as a designated hitter Polanco made in 2025.
While Polanco made 138 appearances last season, 89 of those came in a DH role, despite only having made 45 appearances as a DH in his previous 11 big league seasons combined. Reports out of Seattle say that the veteran hitter sustained an oblique injury early on, which plagued him for much of the season. The team also opted to rest him more frequently vs. left handed pitching as well.
Whether this was just a blip on the radar, or whether it will be a situation worth monitoring in Queens remains to be seen.
The Mets will be Polanco’s 3rd MLB team, after spending a decade with the Minnesota Twins, and a pair of seasons in Seattle.
Photo: Keith Allison. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.