The New York Mets have had an active offseason. The Mets have made some massive moves in an attempt to compete with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the rest of the National League. The biggest move is the signing of Bo Bichette. But New York has traded for Freddy Peralta and Marcus Semien this offseason. But an under-the-radar signing the Mets are excited about is Jorge Polanco.
New York gave Polanco two years and $40 million to be their new first baseman. The team lost out on Pete Alonso, which is the reason behind needing a new first baseman. However, the Mets think Polanco is a better option than Alonso at the position.
” [The Mets] believed he could play first base better than Alonso even without having ever manned the position for an inning in the majors,” Joel Sherman of the New York Post (subscription required) wrote.
The power Polanco supplies will not match Alonso’s, but the defense is an upgrade in the Mets’ minds.
Jorge Polanco is a Solid Defender
GettyNew York believes Polanco will be better defensively than Alonso.
New York is not wrong in their defensive thinking. Last season, Polanco did not make an error in the field. He played both second and third base for the Seattle Mariners, but played just 43 games in the field. A majority of his time in the lineup was spent as the designated hitter.
Despite his lack of playing time in the field last year, New York has high hopes for Polanco. He is a versatile defender, and first base will not force him to be as mobile as he would have to be at the other positions. That is only going to help Polanco get better in the field.
New York is going to miss Alonso’s power at the plate. They will also miss his ability to be in the lineup day in and day out. The Polar Bear is also a better fielder than he is given credit for. He made just 10 errors in 160 games at first base last season.
With that in mind, Polanco has very big shoes to fill at first base. But he is up for the challenge, and the Mets will need him to play at an All-Star level.
Polanco’s Bat is an Asset
GettyJorge Polanco is coming off a great offensive season.
Last year, Polanco had a great season at the plate. He slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs, 78 RBI and an OPS+ of 134. Those numbers are the second-most, third-most, and highest of his career. Additionally, Polanco’s .821 OPS marks the third time he has finished with an OPS north of .800 in his career.
Per Fangraphs, Polanco will slot into the fourth spot in the lineup. Of course, things can change. But expect Polanco to be towards the top of the lineup in Queens.
Adding Bichette, Semien, and Polanco will make up for the power lost from the departure of Alonso. The infield defense is also very solid. All four infield positions will have above-average defenders.
The Mets will have some things to sort out during spring training, but Polanco will be a valuable part of the team.
Mets Make True Feelings Known About Jorge Polanco Over Pete Alonso