The New York Mets moved quickly to fill the first base void left by Pete Alonso’s defection to Baltimore, signing switch-hitter Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million deal. ESPN’s Jeff Passan was first with the news and added the team plans to rotate Polanco between first base and DH.
Polanco, 32, spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Mariners and just turned in a career season. The former Twins All-Star hit .265 with 26 home runs and 78 RBI with a personal best 132 wRC+.
This will also be the first time Polanco plays extensive first base, though the Mets will probably spell him around the infield as needed. Fans should hold their breath those days. Polanco’s combined fielding run value (FRV) across second base, shortstop, and third base is an ugly -51.
But it doesn’t matter. The Mets need Jorge Polanco to do one thing: Hit home runs. He won’t put up Alonso-like numbers, but Polanco can be a 25 home run threat when healthy. It also helps that he can hit for power in pitcher-friendly parks. Polanco’s home stadiums for his career have been Minnesota’s Target Field, Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, and now Citi Field.
Polanco was also a key piece of the Mariners’ run to Game 7 of the ALCS last season. He only hit .208 in the postseason, but slugged three homers with eight RBI.
At the very least, we can now say the Mets aren’t completely rolling over. Overpaying Polanco, who earned $7 million last season, was almost necessary. The team’s offseason is slipping away with both Alonso and Edwin Diaz now with new teams. Adding Devin Williams wasn’t bad, but rumor has it he preferred the Chicago Cubs all along. The Mets just offered more money.
Look, I like Jorge Polanco. He’s fun to watch and baseball needs more switch-hitters across the board. He makes sense for the Mets.
But the blue and orange elephant is 1) still and the room and 2) not going anywhere. These New York Mets need pitching beyond Sean Manaea and David Peterson. Kodai Senga’s health is officially a question mark and, let’s be honest, Clay Holmes belongs back in the bullpen with Edwin Diaz now gone.
Could a trade be in the works? Might David Stearns wow everyone and pull off some sort of pitching Christmas miracle?
Either way, in an offseason full of lateral moves, this might be the Mets’ best.
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