Overview
- The Mets finalized a two-year, $40 million contract with Polanco and presented him Monday at his introductory availability.
- President of baseball operations David Stearns has indicated Polanco will get most of his at-bats at first base and designated hitter with some positional flexibility.
- Polanco has virtually no major-league first base experience—one brief appearance that lasted a single pitch—but he trained there in 2025 with coaches Manny Acta and Perry Hill and highlighted pickoff footwork as the biggest adjustment.
- Coming off a rebound season in Seattle, he hit .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs and 78 RBIs, and he cut his strikeout rate from 29.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025.
- His arrival helps address the vacancy after Pete Alonso joined the Orioles and Edwin Díaz departed for the Dodgers, and he brings recent postseason success that included key hits in the ALDS and ALCS.