The New York Mets are rolling the dice at first base this season - and it’s not the kind of calculated risk that front offices usually hang their hats on. Instead of locking in a proven option, the Mets are betting on projection and positional flexibility.
And while there’s nothing inherently wrong with experimentation, there’s a fine line between creative roster building and unnecessary risk. The Mets may have crossed it.
Let’s be clear: first base isn’t as simple as “just catch the ball.” Any coach who’s worked a diamond knows that.
Sure, it’s not shortstop or center field, but it’s still a position that demands footwork, instincts, and the kind of reps you can’t fake. That’s why the Mets’ decision to bypass a known commodity at the position in favor of a player with almost no experience there raises eyebrows.
Jorge Polanco is a quality big leaguer - a switch-hitter with pop and a track record of production. But he’s logged exactly one inning at first base in his entire major league career.
One. That’s not a sample size - that’s a cameo.
Asking him to take over full-time duties at a position he’s never played is more than a wrinkle in the game plan. It’s a leap of faith.
And that’s where Willson Contreras enters the conversation - not as a hypothetical, but as a very real, available option the Mets passed on. The Cardinals made the move last season to shift Contreras to first base, and he didn’t just survive - he held his own.
Over 119 starts, he posted +6 Outs Above Average and -1 Defensive Runs Saved. Those aren’t Gold Glove numbers, but they’re more than respectable, especially for a converted catcher.
That’s not guesswork. That’s evidence.
Offensively, Contreras brings exactly what the Mets could use: a reliable, middle-of-the-order bat with a knack for getting on base and driving in runs. In 2025, he slashed .257/.344/.447 with 52 extra-base hits and 80 RBIs.
With runners in scoring position, he hit .279 - a clutch presence in a lineup that’s looking to replace one of its own homegrown stars. And this isn’t a one-off.
Contreras has posted an on-base percentage north of .340 in each of the last seven seasons. That’s a level of consistency that doesn’t grow on trees.
The Mets didn’t need to take a flyer on first base. They had a chance to lock in a proven bat who had already made the transition - with both the glove and the stick.
Instead, they’re hoping Polanco can learn on the fly, in one of the most scrutinized markets in baseball. That’s not a knock on Polanco’s talent.
It’s a question of timing and fit.
This isn’t about being afraid to try something new. Teams shift players all the time - sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
But when you’ve got a known solution sitting there, and you choose the unknown instead, you better be right. Because if things get rocky at first base this season, the Mets won’t have to look far to see the move they could’ve made - and the one they might wish they had.