FLUSHING , NY — Not only did Jorge Polance face the challenge of learning a new position to begin this season, his first as a New York Met, but he also had to battle through injuries to his right wrist and left achilles.
“I’m very thankful. I’m very happy to be back and to just go out there and try to help the team,” Polanco told Latino Sports this past Tuesday as he was activated from the injured list ahead of the Royals and Mets opening a three-game series at Citi Field.
Jorge Polanco missed a large portion of the 2026 regular season before the All-Star break due to a right wrist injury and discomfort in his left achilles – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Polanco, 33, a product of San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic and 13-year MLB veteran, with big league experience at second base, shortstop, and third base prior to 2026, signed a two-year deal with the Mets this past offseason for a total of $40 million.
“It was very tough to learn first base and it was something that went on over the offseason,” Polanco said, noting he practiced a lot at first base during the winter and was confident in being ready for the challenge.
“The transition was good. The bad thing is that I got hurt and I couldn’t keep going, but hopefully I will be healthy from this point forward.”
Besides manning first base earlier this year, Polanco spent some time as the Mets’ designated hitter however he suffered a right wrist contusion that put him on the IL on April 15th and it took him nearly three months to return. Add on, attempting to manage through left achilles discomfort before and during this stretch which held him out longer.
Looking back to where it all started, Jorge Polanco originally signed with the Twins out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent in 2009 – Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports
Despite being sidelined, he still remained with the team, consistently working with his teammates such as Bo Bichette, Mark Vientos, Francisco Lindor, among many others prior to games during infield work and batting practice.
“I enjoy having the Latin guys here, the Latin community, and giving everything (I can) for them,” Polanco noted.
Looking back on 2025, Polanco was a Mariners postseason star with two home runs off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in Game 2 of the ALDS that were the difference-makers in Seattle’s win that night, helping them even up the best of five series, 1-1.
Then later on in the series, a win or go home Game 5 scenario, Polanco walked it off in a dramatic 15-inning affair on a single, which sent the Mariners to the ALCS.
“It felt great, especially against Tarik. The playoffs were a cool moment,” Polanco said on his postseason success.
“But like I said before, I’m just happy to do that.”
Happy to be back in the lineup and on the diamond with his Mets teammates, Polanco recorded his first hit back from the IL on Tuesday (1-4, 1 walk) with a double, and on the next night, he had an eighth inning single.
He is 2-for-8 in two games since his return after not playing in Thursday’s series finale vs. Kansas City, a 7-3 win.
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