The New York Mets and infielder Jorge Polanco are in agreement on a two-year, $40 million contract, sources told ESPN on Saturday, as the club pivots away from a transformational week following the losses of Edwin Diaz and Pete Alonso in free agency.
Polanco’s deal, which is pending a physical, does not include an opt-out or deferred money, according to a source. The 12-year veteran sought a three-year deal in free agency but couldn’t find one, settling for a two-year pact with a high annual average value.
Polanco, 32, is expected to primarily play first base, replacing Alonso, and also serve as designated hitter, though he gives New York infield insurance around the diamond. Polanco was a shortstop to begin his major league career with the Minnesota Twins before transitioning to mainly second base and designated hitter with the Seattle Mariners over the past two seasons. Polanco has yet to log an inning at first base at the major league level.
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Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns has emphasized the need for the team to improve on defense after their disastrous 2025 season, and he has operated thus far this offseason with that priority in mind. First, he traded Brandon Nimmo, a below-average left fielder and beloved homegrown Met, for Marcus Semien, an elite second baseman, in an exchange of expensive veterans. This week, he watched Alonso, another adored homegrown stalwart but subpar defender, sign a five-year, $155 million deal with the Baltimore Orioles without making an offer.
The Mets are banking on Polanco’s skill set as a former middle infielder making a transition to first base feasible. And while Polanco’s defense has diminished in recent years — he posted minus-4 Outs Above Average with Seattle last season — the switch-hitter remains a potent weapon in the batter’s box. He batted .265 with 26 home runs and an .821 OPS in 138 games for Seattle last season. He is a .263 career hitter with double-digit home runs in his past six full seasons.
Other options at first base and designated hitter for the Mets include Jeff McNeil and Mark Vientos. But that could change with McNeil available for trade, according to sources, and the Mets expected to continue making moves as Stearns overhauls a roster that fell well short of expectations last season.
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