The New York Mets have agreed to a two-year deal with veteran infielder Jorge Polanco, a person with knowledge of the agreement told The Associated Press on Saturday.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical and had not been announced.
Polanco hit .265 with 26 home runs and 78 RBIs this year for the Seattle Mariners. It was the 32-year-old's second season with Seattle after a decade with the Minnesota Twins.
Polanco's arrival comes after the departures of outfielder Brandon Nimmo, closer Edwin Díaz and first baseman Pete Alonso left New York without three of its fan favorites. Polanco's deal is worth a reported $40 million.
Last year, Polanco was mostly a designated hitter and also played second base, but New York's biggest current need in the infield may be at first after Alonso's exit. The Mets acquired second baseman Marcus Semien in a trade for Nimmo, and Francisco Lindor is a fixture at shortstop.
Polanco was an All-Star in 2019 for Minnesota, and he hit a career-high 33 home runs in 2021. He had surgery in October 2024 to repair his left patellar tendon, and the Mariners declined his $12 million option for the 2025 season. But they brought him back for $7 million, and he produced one of his best offensive seasons.
Polanco had some big hits for the Mariners in the playoffs, including a game-ending single in the 15th inning as Seattle beat Detroit in the decisive Game 5 of their Division Series and a three-run homer in a Game 2 victory over Toronto in the Championship Series.
___
AP Baseball Writer Mike Fitzpatrick contributed to this report.
___
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb