Mets Make Brutal Announcement on $40 Million Slugger

The New York Mets transferred designated hitter Jorge Polanco from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list on Friday, a paper move that formally ends his first season in Queens.

The club needed a 40-man roster spot to select the contract of veteran reliever Chris Devenski. Because Polanco is already slated for season-ending left ankle surgery, the transfer does not change his timeline.

Polanco landed on the 10-day IL on Aug. 19 with left ankle bursitis, the latest chapter in a year defined by lower-body pain.

Interim manager Andy Green said the 33-year-old “can’t get freedom from the pain” after grinding through it for months, and that surgery was the best path forward. Green added that Polanco should be ready for baseball activities by the start of spring training in 2027.

The Mets signed Polanco to a two-year, $40 million free-agent contract last December after Pete Alonso left for Baltimore. The deal included a $6 million signing bonus, $14 million for 2026, and $20 million for 2027.

President of baseball operations David Stearns framed Polanco as a versatile piece who would play first base, DH, and other infield spots as needed. The switch-hitter had just posted a strong 2025 with Seattle: .265 with 26 homers, 78 RBIs, and an .821 OPS.

Year one never took shape. Polanco last played a big-league game on April 14 before a right wrist contusion and left Achilles bursitis sent him to the 10-day IL on April 18.

The Mets later moved him to the 60-day IL on June 15 to claim infielder Zack Short, then activated him July 7 after a long rehab. He returned as a DH and never found rhythm.

For the season, he hit .148/.201/.230 with two home runs and six RBIs in 37 games and 145 plate appearances—the least productive year of his career. He appeared in the field at first base in only two games.

The $40 million bet now hinges on 2027. Polanco is still owed $20 million next season and remains under contract through then.

If the ankle procedure goes as planned, New York will again ask him to be a middle-of-the-order presence and part-time first baseman.

For now, Friday’s 60-day transfer is the official close of a lost campaign—one that began as a high-profile free-agent splash and ended on the surgeon’s table.