NEW YORK — Jorge Polanco’s experience playing first base is all of one pitch, but it figures to be his primary position next year after signing a $40 million, two-year contract with the New York Mets.
“I would think so,” Polanco said through a translator during a news conference through video call on Monday. “… They told me that I’d be playing a good amount of first base, but that I could also be bouncing around.
“I was offering my services to teams as a first baseman, second baseman, third baseman, so when the Mets asked if I was able to do that, play a little bit of first, play a little bit third, I was definitely willing to do that.”
Polanco figures to be the replacement for fan favorite Pete Alonso, who left the Mets as a free agent for a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore. Polanco was primarily a shortstop through 2020 and then a second baseman from 2020-24. Last year, he started mostly at designated hitter for the Seattle Mariners, who came within one win of their first World Series trip.
His only action at first base came when San Francisco’s Wilmer Flores lined a sinker off the end of his bat toward right field in the ninth inning of a tied game last April 6.
“It’s just like they always say, whenever you come into the game, the ball always finds you,” Polanco recalled. “When the ball was hit, I thought it was coming straight to me.”
Flores’ hit was way too far toward second for Polanco to have a chance and gave San Francisco a walk-off win over the Mariners.
A 32-year-old switch-hitter who has batted .260 against righties and .270 against lefties, Polanco was an All-Star in 2019 and set career bests three years later when he had 33 homers and 98 RBIs.
Mariners bench coach Manny Acta and infield coach Perry Hill approached Polanco this year about preparing for time at first.
“It was very easy because I had already spoken to my agent about starting to work out at first and trying to become a more versatile baseball player,” Polanco said. “When we approached them, they were essentially approaching us at the same time. So it was real easy and a really seamless transition.”
Polanco hit .265 with 26 home runs, 78 RBIs, 30 doubles and an .821 OPS in 138 games for Seattle last season, his second with the Mariners following a decade with Minnesota.
While he didn’t get to start at first, he found work with the coaches invaluable.
“The biggest difference is the position that you get in to receive pickoffs,” he said. “That was the toughest transition for me because it’s very different from when you’re playing in the middle of the infield. But I think with my experience of playing second, short, third, it allows me to be an athlete and I think that my athleticism will help me while I’m playing first base.”