Mariners Fans Relieved as Injured Polanco Struggles with Mets

The converted first baseman suffered a setback in his Achilles tendinitis recovery, missing a game against the Giants.

Apr. 4, 2026 at 3:39am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball player's motion broken down into overlapping planes of color, representing the complexities of Polanco's move from the Mariners to the Mets.Polanco's struggles with the Mets highlight the challenges of transitioning star players to new positions and teams.Today in Pittsburgh

Seattle Mariners fans are starting to accept losing Jorge Polanco to the New York Mets, as the converted first baseman suffered a setback in his recovery from left Achilles tendinitis and did not start Friday's game against the San Francisco Giants. Polanco, who is batting .174 with no home runs and one RBI, remained listed as day-to-day as the Mets' experiment to make him their first baseman has gotten off to a stumbling start.

Why it matters

Polanco was a vital cog of the Mariners' offense last season, slugging 26 home runs for the 2025 AL West champions. His struggles with the Mets and injury issues have led to relief among Mariners fans who had seen him leave the team in free agency.

The details

Polanco's Achilles tendinitis flared up during the Mets' second game of the season, a 4-2, 11th-inning win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on March 28. He attempted to play through the injury as a designated hitter, but needed to be shut down. Despite putting in extra work at first base last offseason, Polanco appeared out of synch in his two starts, posting a minus-11 in total fielding runs above average.

  • Polanco suffered the Achilles tendinitis setback on March 28.
  • Polanco missed the Mets' game against the Giants on April 4.

The players

Jorge Polanco

A converted first baseman who signed with the New York Mets in free agency after playing for the Seattle Mariners last season.

Pete Alonso

The Mets' incumbent first baseman, who some Mets officials believed Polanco would surpass defensively at the position.

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What’s next

Polanco's status for the Mets' upcoming games remains uncertain as he continues to recover from the Achilles tendinitis.

The takeaway

Polanco's struggles and injury issues with the Mets have validated the Mariners' decision to let him leave in free agency, as Seattle fans are relieved to see their former star player facing challenges in his new home.