The Mets are playing with fire at first base, and it’s starting to feel less like a calculated risk and more like a roll of the dice. With Pete Alonso and his 40 home runs now calling Baltimore home after signing a $155 million deal, New York is left with a gaping hole in the middle of its lineup-and trying to patch it with Jorge Polanco, a career second baseman learning first base on the fly.
That’s not just bold-it’s borderline reckless. Polanco’s bat has value, but asking him to anchor a position he’s never played at the big-league level is a defensive gamble the Mets can’t afford if they’re serious about contending. But there’s a path out of this, and it runs straight through Tampa Bay.
Yandy Díaz: The Smart, Affordable Fix
Enter Yandy Díaz, a veteran slugger with a proven bat and a contract that screams value. The Rays hold a 2026 club option on Díaz worth just $12 million-a steal for a player who won a batting title two seasons ago and remains one of the league’s most disciplined hitters. And with Tampa Bay’s long-standing aversion to paying aging veterans, there’s a real chance Díaz could be available.
For the Mets, this is the kind of move that makes too much sense. Díaz won’t replicate Alonso’s raw power, but he brings something just as valuable: consistency.
In 2025, he slashed .300/.366/.482 across 150 games, hit 25 home runs, drove in 83 runs, and-maybe most importantly-continued his career-long trend of refusing to chase bad pitches. He doesn’t just hit; he controls at-bats.
That’s the kind of presence this Mets lineup needs.
A Better Fit All Around
Adding Díaz would do more than just plug a hole-it would restore order. Polanco could shift to a more natural role as the designated hitter, where his glove won’t be a liability.
And while Díaz isn’t exactly a defensive wizard himself, he’s at least played first base at the major league level. That’s more than you can say for Polanco.
Let’s be real: Alonso wasn’t winning Gold Gloves either. His defensive metrics last season were in the red, so the drop-off from Alonso to Díaz in the field isn’t as steep as it might seem. What Díaz lacks in range, he makes up for in reliability-and when you’re paying him $12 million instead of $155 million, that’s a trade-off you can live with.
Forget the In-House Options
The Mets could try to patch things together internally-Mark Vientos is still around, for now-but that plan looks shaky. Reports suggest the Mets are open to moving Vientos in a trade, which makes it hard to envision him as the long-term solution at first.
Díaz, on the other hand, is a known commodity. He’s been in big moments, he’s performed under pressure, and he wouldn’t flinch under the bright lights of New York.
A No-Brainer for Stearns
This is the kind of move that defines smart front offices. David Stearns has the chance to pull off a classic buy-low deal that fills a major need without tying the team’s hands financially. Díaz won’t just stabilize the lineup-he’ll give the Mets a professional hitter who brings balance to a roster that desperately needs it.
With question marks up and down the batting order, the Mets can’t afford to wait and hope things click. They need a sure thing.
Yandy Díaz is that guy. He won’t replace the Polar Bear’s power, but he’ll give you 90% of the offensive value for a fraction of the cost-and he’ll do it without turning every ground ball into an adventure.
If Stearns is serious about keeping the Mets competitive in 2026, this is the move that makes it happen.