Mets' addition of Jorge Polanco shows willingness to get creative

The New York Mets came into the offseason needing to make a big splash on the free-agent market after collapsing down the stretch last season. 

After losing two of their best players in first baseman Pete Alonso and closer Edwin Diaz to the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively, the Mets decided to fill the void of Alonso by finalizing a deal with infielder and former Seattle Mariner Jorge Polanco. The deal, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, is two years for $40M and will pay him an average annual value of $20M per season. 

According to The Athletic's Will Sammon, Polanco will be the Mets' everyday first baseman while being the designated hitter when right fielder Juan Soto plays the field. Polanco can also play second and third base, which will give the Mets some depth in their infield in case their newly acquired second baseman, Marcus Semien, or third baseman Mark Vientos need a day off or get injured. 

Polanco, who is a veteran of 12 MLB seasons, has never played first base. Sammon notes that this is nothing new for Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns, who conducted the same experiment with second baseman Keston Hiura while with the Milwaukee Brewers, though it ended up failing.