Jorge Polanco Returns to Mets Lineup

Polanco’s Comeback to the Majors

The Mets activated Jorge Polanco on Tuesday after a near‑three‑month absence, marking his first appearance since April 14.

Polanco, who signed a two‑year, $40 million contract, arrived with the expectation of taking over at first base for Pete Alonso. His injury history includes a right wrist contusion that placed him on the injured list on April 18, and a chronic left Achilles problem that developed after he started the season at first.

Before the wrist issue, Polanco was hitting .179 with a single home run in 56 at‑bats. He underwent a platelet‑rich injection and later joined Triple‑A Syracuse, where he went 2‑for‑15 with two homers across five games after resuming rehab on June 27.

He will take the designated hitter spot for the remainder of the season, though manager Andy Green indicated Polanco will not be used every day at DH. Instead, he will serve as a bench switch‑hitter to add flexibility in late innings.

Related Roster Adjustments

To clear a space on the active roster, the Mets optioned infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple‑A Syracuse.

The club also designated pitchers Guillermo Zuniga and Alex Carrillo for assignment and added right‑hander Matt Seelinger to the majors.

Seelinger, a 31‑year‑old native of Westbury, New York, is making his first MLB call‑up. The 28th‑round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2017 draft, he previously played college ball at Division III Farmingdale State on Long Island.

Other Injury Updates

Outfielder Luis Robert Jr. moved his rehab assignment to Double‑A Binghamton after spending time with Syracuse. He posted a 1‑for‑10 line over three games for Syracuse and is slated to appear for Binghamton on Wednesday.

Second baseman Marcus Semien, who landed on the IL with a left hip flexor strain on June 25, ran at roughly 80 percent intensity on Monday as part of his recovery.

The Mets’ decision to bring Polanco back reflects the team’s need for offensive depth while managing injuries to key players. Seelinger’s debut adds a local‑boy storyline to an otherwise challenging season for the last‑place club.