New York Mets and infielder Jorge Polanco finalize $40 million, 2-year contract

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NEW YORK (AP) — Veteran infielder Jorge Polanco and the New York Mets completed their $40 million, two-year contract on Tuesday.

The sides agreed to terms last week, pending a physical.

Polanco has mostly played shortstop and second base during his 12 major league seasons with Minnesota and Seattle — but he'll be used differently by the Mets. The switch-hitter gives them a potential replacement for All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso, who signed with Baltimore as a free agent last week.

“We are excited to add Jorge to our organization and expect him to be a big part of our team over the next two years,” Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns said in a news release announcing the deal.

“Jorge’s athleticism and versatility on both sides of the ball make him a perfect fit as we continue to build out our team. As we stand now, we would anticipate Jorge playing first base, DH, and bouncing around to other positions as needed.”

The 32-year-old Polanco batted .265 with 26 home runs, 78 RBIs, 30 doubles and an .821 OPS in 138 games for Seattle last season, his second with the Mariners following a decade with the Twins. He was mostly a designated hitter and also played second base, but New York’s biggest current need in the infield is at first after Alonso’s exit.

The Mets acquired Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien from Texas in a trade for outfielder Brandon Nimmo, and Francisco Lindor is a fixture at shortstop. Brett Baty is expected to begin the season as the starting third baseman, with Mark Vientos and Ronny Mauricio also providing options at the hot corner.

Polanco has started 25 career games at third but none at first, making only one brief appearance there.

His arrival comes after the recent departures of Alonso, Nimmo and closer Edwin Díaz left the Mets without three fan favorites.

Polanco was an All-Star for Minnesota in 2019, when he had a career-best .841 OPS, and he set personal highs with 33 home runs and 98 RBIs in 2021. He had surgery in October 2024 to repair his left patellar tendon, and the Mariners declined his $12 million option for the 2025 season. But they brought him back for $7 million, and he produced one of his best offensive seasons.

He delivered several clutch hits for the Mariners in the playoffs, including two solo homers off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal during a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of their AL Division Series and a game-ending single in the 15th inning to win the decisive Game 5. Polanco also connected for a three-run homer in a Game 2 victory over Toronto in the American League Championship Series.

He is a .263 career hitter with 154 homers and a .771 OPS in 1,088 big league games.

Polanco gets a $6 million signing bonus, payable within 60 days of the contract's approval by Major League Baseball, and a $14 million salary next year followed by a $20 million salary in 2027.

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AP Baseball Writers Noah Trister and Ronald Blum contributed to this report.

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