Jorge Polanco has made just a single appearance at first base during his 12-year major-league career, and has yet to record a chance.
Yet, when asked during his introductory press conference on Monday afternoon if he believes he is the New York Mets’ everyday first baseman, the veteran middle infielder said, “I would think so.”
David Stearns and the Mets appear to feel that way, too, as the club’s president of baseball operations previously stated that Polanco would get the majority of his at-bats as a first baseman and designated hitter after the two parties agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal last week.
“The conversations with the Mets were pretty easy [during free agency],” Polanco said through team translator Alan Surriel. “I was already making that transition last year when I was with Seattle. That was a pretty easy conversation for me to have, especially because I was offering my services as a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman. So when the Mets asked if I was able to play a little bit of first, I was definitely willing to do that right away.”
The 32-year-old revealed that there was mutual interest between him and his former club, the Mariners, about playing first base. He worked closely with coaches Perry Hill and Manny Acta in pregame routines to acclimate to the position.
“The biggest difference is the position that you get into to receive pick-offs or picks or just getting to the base. That’s the toughest transition for me because that’s very different than when you’re playing in the m middle of the infield. But I think with my experience of playing second, third, short, it allows me to be an athlete, and I think that my athleticism will help me when I’m playing first base.”
Offensively, Polanco is coming off one of his finest all-around seasons, posting 26 home runs with 78 RBI and an .821 OPS while helping Seattle reach the ALCS. Among his most eye-catching stats was a remarkable reduction in his strikeout rate, which dwindled from 29.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025. That’s the largest single-season drop in strikeout rate in MLB history.
“I have a hitting coach that I’ve been working with, and we kind of got back to where I was early on in my career, where I wasn’t striking out as much,” Polanco said. “I was putting the ball in play more. I was really battling in the at-bats. Once we were able to switch the mechanics, I was able to return to the player I was earlier on in my career.”
Still, this is a significant gamble coming from a Mets team that let their franchise first baseman and home run king, Pete Alonso, walk to the Baltimore Orioles on a five-year, $155 million deal without even extending an offer his way. That came one day after losing All-Star closer Edwin Diaz to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
“It was definitely surprising that they both left,” Polanco said. “But at the same time, it’s also business. Edwin is one of the best closers in baseball. Pete is one of the best first basemen in baseball. So it did surprise me a bit. But once you get into free agency, the business does take over.”
