Mets beat writer reveals plan for Jorge Polanco upon return from lingering achilles injury originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The New York Mets ended the offseason on the right note after starting out very sluggishly. The Mets were able to bring in players like Freddy Peralta, Bo Bichette, and others.

There were high expectations for the Mets coming into the season, and they have not been met. In fact, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza recently sounded the alarm.

“There’s so much I could sit here and say that we worry – we’ve got to go out and do it ourselves. We’re not putting ourselves in good positions. It’s not early anymore. Whatever I say here doesn’t matter, we’ve got to go out there and do it,” Mendoza told the media.

A big-time acquisition in the offseason was Jorge Polanco, whom they planned to move to third base. However, after battling an injury for a significant stretch of time, they decided to place him on the injured list.

“After six stints on the injured list between the 2022 and 2024 seasons for back, knee and hamstring injuries, the team placed him on the IL a seventh time April 18 with a bruised right wrist and Achilles bursitis after playing 14 games — and just two at first base,” ESPN’s Jorge Castillo wrote.

Polanco recently began a rehab assignment for the Mets and should be back sometime in the near future. It already appears they plan to ease him back into the lineup, as he will primarily serve as a designated hitter.

“The Mets could activate Jorge Polanco (left Achilles bursitis) as soon as Friday in San Diego. But if he’s not ready at that point, the team could give him additional time on rehab. Polanco will mostly DH once he returns,” Mets beat writer Anthony DiComo posted.

New York has already dealt with its fair share of injuries and will do whatever it takes to keep Polanco healthy. The Mets need his bat in the lineup, but they also want him to play first base once he is fully healthy.

The Mets still have a long way to go if they want to turn things around, and Polanco is a big part of that. It will be interesting to see how quickly they move him back into the field once he returns.

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