The New York Mets have potentially found their 2026 Opening Day starting first baseman.
The Mets are signing former All-Star infielder Jorge Polanco to a two-year, $40 million contract. Polanco is expected to play first base and designated hitter, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Polanco can play everywhere on the infield, with his primary positions being second base and shortstop. He has only played one game at first base in his entire career, and it came in 2025. Passan noted he can play third base as well, but he’s only played 30 games there throughout his 12 seasons.
Polanco, 32, had a great bounce back season in his second with the Seattle Mariners en route to a deep playoff run. The switch-hitter hit .265 with 26 home runs, 30 doubles, 78 RBI and an .821 OPS.
This move will help replace the loss of Pete Alonso’s production, but the problem with Alonso was his defense, and that’s Polanco’s biggest issue as well.
Polanco is a below-average fielder and isn’t experienced at first base, making this move on the surface a downgrade offensively and a wash, if not a downgrade, defensively.
New York’s offseason moves to address “run prevention” have been a mixed bag. The Mets dealt left fielder Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers in exchange for second baseman Marcus Semien, which improved the infield defense but left a hole in left field.
The Mets then signed right-handed reliever/closer Devin Williams to a three-year, $51 million deal.
With the focus on pitching and defense, it made sense why the Mets didn’t re-sign Alonso, but signing a career middle infielder to possibly be the every day first baseman doesn’t scream “defense first.” New York easily could have matched or surpassed what the Los Angeles Dodgers paid for former Mets closer Edwin Diaz but opted to go with Williams and not clog up the ninth inning role.
Diaz signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers to make him the highest annually paid reliever in history, and it’s safe to say he earned his contract for what he has done over the past five seasons. Diaz is one of the best relievers in baseball and his funky delivery makes for an uncomfortable at-bat for any hitter. He has over 250 saves in his career and joins a loaded Dodgers team bidding to three-peat.
The Mets aren’t done making moves, but what they have done so far to address their offseason goals makes you scratch your head a bit.