Rumblings Around Jorge Polanco and the Mets’ Future

Jorge Polanco may soon become a central figure for the Mets.

He carries a hefty salary, yet his time on the field has frequently been marred by injuries and a lack of performance.

Currently, the Mets find themselves in a situation reminiscent of earlier in the season. If this trend persists, they will likely undergo significant changes by the trade deadline.

As the clock ticks away and the Mets remain at the bottom of the NL East, Polanco’s anticipated return from Achilles bursitis and a right wrist contusion might signal a shift for the team.

If his comeback falters, the Mets may face the daunting prospect of dismantling their roster.

Polanco could rejoin his teammates this weekend, as the Mets gear up for a crucial series against the Padres on Friday, although the season feels almost a lost cause at this point.

When they brought Polanco on board with a two-year, $40 million deal in the offseason—intended to fill Pete Alonso’s shoes at first base as part of a broader strategy—there was genuine hope. Fans wanted to see the 32-year-old perform close to his previous levels from Seattle.

However, Polanco’s performance has been underwhelming. He managed a meager OPS of .532 over just 14 games before landing on the injured list.

In his absence, the Mets have struggled to find consistency at first base, even with Polanco’s brief minor league rehab stint in Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse failing to show much promise.

Meanwhile, Mark Vientos continues to face challenges both defensively and offensively. Jared Young has shown some improvement since returning from his own IL stint, but the Mets are hesitant to rely solely on him at first.

The organization maintains that they are being prudent with Polanco, as his Achilles issues are likely to persist throughout the season. They don’t expect him to step back into a leading role immediately upon his return.

Carlos Mendoza mentioned recently that Polanco will continue to “feel” the injury for the rest of the year. He emphasized the need for ongoing management of the situation to avoid a lengthy shutdown.

As a switch-hitter, Polanco typically excels from both sides of the plate. If he can regain his form from last season with the Mariners, it would be a much-needed boost for a lineup that is struggling to find its rhythm.

With Bo Bichette mired in a slump—despite a hopeful four-hit game recently—Marcus Semien is also having a rough patch, and Francisco Lindor remains sidelined due to a calf strain. This has forced the Mets to lean heavily on Juan Soto and rookie players like Carson Benge and AJ Ewing.

If they wish to regain traction in the wild-card race, the Mets must act swiftly. Just six games out of the final spot, they also trail a seven-team lead as they started Thursday.

After a brief four-game winning streak in Queens, they dropped two of three to the Mariners and are set to face a Padres team that’s struggling itself, having lost five straight and nine of their last ten.

While the Mets have won five of seven games overall, they need to amp up their efforts to make up ground in the standings.

Polanco’s return should provide some assistance, but it’s hard to ignore the sense of déjà vu with the team’s current disappointments this season.