What Mets' first base situation looks like with Jorge Polanco in danger of IL stint

Jorge Polanco, a capable switch-hitter, would normally feature prominently in almost all imaginable iterations of an ideal Mets lineup against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. Yet Polanco did not start against Rodriguez and the Diamondbacks on Thursday night.

Before the Mets’ loss to the D-backs on Wednesday afternoon, Polanco said the Achilles pain that has been limiting his time in the field “comes and goes.” Some days, he feels well enough to play a game in the field and even tries to field some ground balls early. Some days, he admitted, he feels much worse.

“Yesterday,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday. “Was one of those days.”

Polanco could require a trip to the injured list to fully vanquish regular pain. But even if it doesn’t, Polanco’s bout of what the Mets are calling “Achilles tendinitis” could still shift the Mets’ first base prognosis dramatically.

Ever since the Mets introduced Polanco – and did so a few days after the Baltimore Orioles introduced Pete Alonso as their first baseman – he has felt like the heir apparent to Alonso at that position. Maybe Bo Bichette would help replace Alonso’s offense, sure. But Polanco would be the man around the bag – and maybe even better than Alonso defensively (though opinions vary on the height of that bar) -- once he got the hang of it.

But in the short-term, and perhaps even long-term in 2026, Polanco might fit best as a designated hitter more often than not.

While he continues to avoid the IL and battles regular flareups, Polanco will almost certainly make his appearances as a DH. Not only would logic prescribe less time standing on achy legs in cold weather than more, but Polanco has not had time to build stamina and experience at first defensively. Playing there regularly will require regular work. And he is not able to work regularly yet.

“I just have pain, a little. Doing everything,” Polanco said. “It’s not something that, doing this feels really bad, doing this feels really good. Some days I feel really good. Some days I have a little bit of pain.”

Polanco has only played first base in two of the Mets’ first 13 games. His inexperience showed in both of them, though so too did his adjustments from play to play.

“I was comfortable. I was getting comfortable [before the injury],” Polanco said. “I was starting to feel like a first baseman.”

The good news for the Mets is they have other first-basemen-in-training to evaluate in the meantime. Mark Vientos and Brett Baty both got extra work at the position in spring training. Vientos has started five straight games there, in part because he exploded offensively, in part because Juan Soto’s injury cleared outfield space for Baty. That pair – both of whom now have more innings there than Polanco and have looked comfortable -- could platoon there when Soto returns. Jared Young also has more experience at first.

One could argue that the best way to keep Polanco’s much-needed bat in the lineup into October would be to have him DH most of the time, rather than test his legs at first. Certainly, in the short term, the Mets have chosen that solution.

“The priority here is to keep him healthy. Health is the most important part here,” Mendoza said. “When he gets [healthy], he’ll continue to get opportunity [at first]. But we just gotta make sure he’s feeling 100 percent before we put him out there.”

Long-term, Polanco – who has played more than 500 career games at shortstop and more than 400 at second base in his career – says playing the field is important to him.

“It does matter to me. I do want to be out there. I feel like I can be out there and help the team in that aspect, too,” Polanco said. “But it’s just what’s going on right now.”

The Mets can afford to wait and see whether he will be able to play first regularly for them this year. They did not sign him for his glove.