The New York Mets have only gotten 14 games out of infielder Jorge Polanco after signing him to a two-year, $40 million contract, leading the veteran to open up about the difficult beginning to his tenure in Queens.
“It is tough to deal with, but at the same time, I can’t control that,” Polanco told Will Sammon of The Athletic. “I wish I could because then I could be on the field every day.”
Polanco is currently on the injured list with a wrist injury. He’s also dealing with Achilles tendon soreness. The latter issue kept him out of the lineup multiple times in April. He ultimately went to the IL with the wrist problem, which has since healed. It’s now the Achilles that is keeping Polanco sidelined. Manager Carlos Mendoza recently shared that Polanco is not nearing a rehab assignment.
Sammon relayed that Polanco had a platelet-rich plasma injection in mid-April to address the persistent Achilles soreness. It’s unclear whether the PRP measure was taken before or after Polanco landed on the IL. He hasn’t appeared in a game since April 14.
New York Mets Infielder Jorge Polanco Shares Thoughts on Rough Start in New York, Reveals PRP Injection
Polanco earned the hefty contract from the Mets after delivering the best season of his big-league career. The veteran compiled a .265/.326/.495 slash line in 138 games. He belted 26 home runs and chipped in eight stolen bases as a key cog in a Seattle Mariners lineup that reached the American League Championship Series. Polanco’s 132 wRC+ was easily the best mark of his time in the majors.
After 10 seasons with the Minnesota Twins, Polanco was dealt to Seattle for a package that included outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and right-handers Anthony DeSclafani, Justin Topa, and Darren Bowen. He scuffled in his first year with the Mariners, hitting just .213 with 16 homers. The veteran received little interest on the free agent market and wound up back in Seattle on a modest one-year, $7.75 million agreement.
The bounce-back season in 2025 resulted in a hefty payday for Polanco. The Mets doled out $20 million a year to a player entering his early 30s with limited defensive ability. New York was looking to replace Pete Alonso, who left for the Baltimore Orioles on a hefty five-year, $150 million deal.
Polanco Still Has No Timetable For a Return
Mendoza has yet to give a clear timeline for Polanco’s return to the big-league club. Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters, including Sammon, that Polanco has to show his Achilles is fully healthy before he’s cleared to come back.
The Mets have dealt with several significant injuries this season. Juan Soto missed a few weeks with a calf issue. Shortly after Soto returned, Francisco Lindor went down with a similar issue. Luis Robert Jr. remains on the IL as he nurses a back injury. Francisco Alvarez tore his meniscus earlier this week. The club shared that Alvarez will be back on the longer end of his six-to-eight week timetable. Despite the mounting health concerns, the Mets were able to sweep the Detroit Tigers to open the week. They’ll now host the New York Yankees for the Subway Series.
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