SAN FRANCISCO — Polanco’s Achilles a Concern for the Mets

Jorge Polanco’s ongoing issue with his left Achilles tendon is causing some trouble for the Mets. Manager Carlos Mendoza noted that, after showing signs of improvement, Polanco felt discomfort in his ankle again on Thursday, leading to his removal from the starting lineup for Friday’s game.

This marks the second time in four games that Polanco, who has primarily served as the designated hitter since Sunday, has been sidelined. It’s a bit concerning, but Mendoza emphasized that it’s a day-to-day situation. “There are days he feels it more, but recently he seemed to be doing well,” he mentioned ahead of the Mets-Giants matchup.

Since last Saturday, Polanco has not played at first base due to what Mendoza has described as tendonitis. Brett Batty took his place in the lineup on Friday, along with Mark Vientos and Jared Young, who also filled in at that position.

Mendoza expressed satisfaction with Vientos’ progress at first base. “He was moving around a lot, not just in games, but also when receiving throws. He looked good there,” Mendoza said, even acknowledging a minor error made by David Peterson on a throw from Vientos that went slightly off-target.

Carson Benge made his first career start in the expansive right field at Oracle Park, which offers a variety of angles that can challenge even seasoned players. Mendoza mentioned that Benge had a session with outfield coach Gilbert Gomez before the game to get up to speed on some fielding nuances.

As for performance metrics, the Mets were ranked sixth in the MLB and second in the National League with 71 strikeouts so far this season. Additionally, their team’s ERA stood at 3.02, tying them for fifth place in the National League.