New York Mets infielder Jorge Polanco could soon land on the injured list due to ongoing soreness in his left Achilles tendon. Manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed the possibility on Thursday after benching Polanco for lower-leg discomfort. The issue has persisted since the second game of the season.
Jorge Polanco has dealt with left Achilles tendinitis since the Mets' second game of the season. The team has restricted him to designated hitter duties while monitoring the injury closely. On Thursday, Mendoza removed Polanco from the lineup amid continued discomfort, though no immediate decision on the injured list has been made. The Mets signed the 32-year-old to a two-year, $40 million contract in the offseason. Polanco hit 1-for-3 with two walks on Opening Day but has batted .189/.250/.270 over nine games since the injury surfaced. 'It’s kind of day to day,' Mendoza said. 'There’s going to be some good days, and there’s going to be days where he feels it more. And yesterday was one of those days.' Asked about an injured list placement, he added: 'It is a possibility that we get to a point that we need to give him a break. It’s fluid.' With Polanco sidelined at times, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos and Jared Young have filled in at first base. Vientos has handled full-time duties there recently, especially since Juan Soto went on the injured list. 'There’s days where he comes in and he feels really good that he goes out there and does a little bit of defensive work,' Mendoza noted. 'And then there’s days where he feels it more. We’re watching it closely here and will see what happens.'