Jorge Polanco’s return to the New York Mets lineup on Tuesday didn’t exactly change the conversation. He went 1 for 4 against the Kansas City Royals, adding a near-home run, a double, an RBI, a walk and a strikeout in a game that ended up being just one more twist in a wild night.
That line was only a small part of the bigger story, though. Polanco’s two-year, $40 million deal was one of the winter’s biggest surprises, and the Mets’ idea of moving the longtime middle infielder to first base - despite his having no experience there - drew plenty of skepticism after Pete Alonso left in free agency for the Baltimore Orioles. Polanco then spent a lengthy stint on the IL, turning him into one of the clearest symbols of an offseason that has not gone the Mets’ way.
While Polanco has been trying to get his season moving and has lifted his OPS to .558 in 15 games, Ryan O’Hearn was busy putting together one of the best individual performances of the year. Against the Atlanta Braves, O’Hearn went 4 for 5 with three home runs and 10 RBI, a monster day that landed at exactly the wrong time for the Mets.
O’Hearn, a first baseman and corner outfielder, signed a two-year deal worth $29 million with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That was $11 million less than Polanco’s contract, and the comparison is hard to ignore given the Mets’ needs at first base and in the outfield.
O’Hearn posted 6 OAA at first base last year and has 1 OAA there this season, while also spending time as a below-average right fielder for Pittsburgh. The Mets likely wouldn’t have used him much in the outfield anyway as this season developed, but the flexibility still stands out next to Polanco, who was brought in as an infield option, expected to mostly DH, and now is probably headed for DH duty almost exclusively.
O’Hearn’s production has gone well beyond one huge game. He now has 16 home runs, 61 RBI and a .293/.351/.500 slash line.
He has more home runs than Polanco has games played for the Mets, which is a staggering contrast. He is also one homer shy of matching his career-high of 17 from last season.
The Mets’ offseason choices have been under a microscope, especially with fans chanting for Pete Alonso and even bringing up Brandon Nimmo during Polanco’s return. But Alonso’s five-year, $155 million deal was never in the Mets’ comfort zone financially, and O’Hearn, at a lower price than Polanco, was as close to a comparable option as they were likely to find in free agency.
Timing adds another layer to it. O’Hearn didn’t sign with Pittsburgh until January 8, while Polanco had his Mets deal in place on December 16.
Whether that was a panic move or a bold swing that’s now getting second-guessed, the bottom line is simple: Polanco has a long way to go if he wants to make this look like the right call. Right now, nothing he has done comes close to what Pittsburgh has gotten from O’Hearn.
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The more interesting part is whether the Mets would use that kind of swap to bring in a pitcher who is close enough to matter soon, but still has some development left in the tank. With A.J. Minter and Brooks Raley no longer in the mix, there is at least a path for a left-handed arm to get a look, and Seattles system has one that has been moving through the upper levels with strong strikeout numbers and steady run prevention. The wrinkle is timing, because a pitcher in that spot can be useful to a club now, while also carrying enough roster pressure that the other side has to decide whether to hold on or make a move before the offseason changes the calculus. [Read more 🡒]