The New York Mets have agreed to a two-year contract with infielder Jorge Polanco, formerly of the Seattle Mariners. Polanco's signing highlights his remarkable reduction in strikeout rate from 29.2% in 2024 to 15.6% in 2025, the largest single-season drop in MLB history. This improvement, driven by health recovery and swing adjustments, positions him as a contact-oriented power hitter for the Mets.
The Mets' agreement with Jorge Polanco underscores his standout 2025 performance with the Mariners, where he achieved a 15.6% strikeout rate after a high of 29.2% the previous year. This 13.6 percentage point drop marked the biggest year-to-year improvement ever recorded for a player with at least 450 plate appearances in consecutive seasons, surpassing historical marks set by players like Ronald Acuña and Cody Bellinger.
Polanco, who turns 33 next summer, debuted with the Minnesota Twins in 2014 and maintained a consistent 16.7% strikeout rate through 2021, better than the MLB average. His rate rose in subsequent years—21% in 2022, nearly 26% in 2023, and over 29% in 2024—amid recurring injuries to his back, knee, and hamstring that landed him on the injured list multiple times. In 2025, he stayed healthy, avoiding the IL despite a sore oblique, and logged 524 plate appearances, his first time exceeding 500 since 2021.
Post-2024, Polanco underwent surgery to repair his left knee's patellar tendon. The Mets envision him primarily as a first baseman or designated hitter, given his limited recent experience at those positions and below-average defense. During 2025, an early knee issue shifted him from third base to mostly DH, with few appearances at second base.
A key factor in his resurgence was a major stance adjustment: closing his previously open stance to neutral, widening it, and moving up four inches in the batter's box, most notably from the left side. This led to a flatter swing path, dropping from 38° to 30° for left-handed swings, and an attack angle reduction from 16° to 10°, both prioritizing contact while preserving power. His pull-air rate remained strong at 25%, with 23 of 26 home runs pulled, contributing to a season 32% above average, comparable to stars like José Ramírez and Fernando Tatis Jr.
Though inconsistent—booming in April and clutch in October but slumping in May—Polanco's contact skills and power make him a valuable addition, especially after his injury-plagued 2024.
