After more than two months away, the New York Mets are finally getting one of their biggest free-agent acquisitions back.
Ahead of their series opener against the Kansas City Royals, the Mets activated Jorge Polanco from the 60-day injured list. In a corresponding roster move, Ronny Mauricio was optioned back to Triple-A Syracuse.
Polanco landed on the injured list just a couple of weeks into the season on April 18 with a bruised right wrist. However, the bigger issue was his Achilles bursitis, which had bothered him since the start of the season.
The 33-year-old attempted multiple rehab assignments during his absence. Each time, though, he had to shut things down because of the lingering injuries. That left many fans wondering if Polanco would even return this season. Now, the wait is finally over.
However, even though Polanco is back, the Achilles bursitis remains an issue and appears likely to affect him through the end of the season. Because of that, the Mets plan to be cautious with his workload.
Polanco admitted as much, saying he expects to be used solely as a designated hitter for the time being.
That should help keep Jared Young's spot in the lineup secure, as the career minor leaguer has carved out a role in Queens. The biggest loser from Polanco's return is Mark Vientos, whose playing time continues to shrink.
Before going on the injured list, Polanco appeared in just 14 games for New York. He slashed .179/.246/.286 with a .532 OPS and one home run. The Mets signed the veteran infielder to a two-year, $40 million contract over the winter to play first base full-time despite having almost no experience at the position.
Polanco was just one of many key Mets to land on the injured list this season. Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, Clay Holmes and Luis Robert Jr. have all missed time, with Holmes and Robert still sidelined.
Between the injuries and poor performances across the roster, the Mets are enduring one of their worst seasons in recent memory. Entering Tuesday, New York owns the fourth-worst record in baseball and sits 11 games out of a Wild Card spot.
The Mets are expected to be sellers ahead of the Aug. 3 trade deadline. They've already dealt David Peterson, and several more players could be on the move. It's unclear whether the Mets would consider trading Polanco, or if another team would take on his contract given his health concerns. Still, it feels like just about everyone on the roster is available.
