The Met Files: Jorge Polanco

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Jorge Luis Pacheco Polanco was born in July of 1993. He grew up in the Dominican Republic town of San Pedro de Macorís. It was there where Jorge played Little League baseball with future MLB teammate Miguel Saño. The scout that helped the Minnesota Twins sign Polanco acknowledged that when he first saw him, Polanco was “very, very, very weak.” But he had a pretty good baseball IQ and a good swing. And he was dedicated. On days where he had a big tryout, Polanco would wear his full baseball uniform to school. Polanco signed with the Twins for $725,000 the day after his 16th birthday at his grandparents’ home. At some point, his grandfather gave him the nickname “Chulo”, which in the Dominican Republic means “cool” and “handsome”. 

It took time for Jorge to acclimate himself to the United States. “In the Dominican Republic, we’re very liberal and when you get here you have to adapt to the norms and the laws that we might not follow,” he explained to The Athletic. He was roommates with another future MLB teammate - Max Kepler. The two communicated with their hands, since Polanco didn’t speak any English and Kepler was from Germany. After the 2011 season, Polanco had enough of being small and weak, so he changed his diet. And by diet, Jorge ate more often. 

It worked. He eventually became a 5’11”, 200 pound man. Physically transformed, Polanco went from starting the 2014 season with the High-A Fort Myers Miracle to making his MLB debut that June 26th. In his first plate appearance, Polanco walked. After four games he was sent back down. He made a one-game cameo in July where he struck out, then was shipped to Double-A to finish the year. 2015 was a similar story where Polanco bounced back and forth between the minors and having a cup of coffee in The Show. That year, Jorge made the Double-A Southern League All-Star team. 

There was more bouncing around in 2016, but Polanco managed to appear in a splendid 69 games for the Minnesota Twins. He was a minor league All-Star yet again. 2017 was when Polanco established himself as the everyday shortstop for Minnesota. That August 29th, Polanco hit a home run from each side of the plate in the same game. He also made his postseason debut that year, going 1 for 4 with two runs scored in the AL Wild Card Game. 

But then dun dun dun during spring training of 2018, Polanco was suspended 80 games for PEDs, specifically stanozolol. Polanco denied taking it on purpose and accepted the suspension without complaint. When his suspension was over, the Twins put him right back in the starting shortstop role. 

The Twins weren’t too concerned about the PED pop, because during the spring of 2019 they signed Polanco to a five-year contract extension. He rewarded Minnesota by hitting for the cycle on April 5th and being voted in as the All-Star starting shortstop for the American League. After both the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Polanco underwent ankle surgery.

In 2021, Polanco moved to second base to accommodate new Twins acquisition Andrelton Simmons. Polanco had a career year in the batters’ box, slugging 33 home runs and collecting 98 RBI. 

Polanco hit a career low .235 in 2022, but he was really hampered by injuries. His manager Rocco Baldelli claimed Jorge could “barely walk” in the games he did somehow manage to play that season. 

“I love to play”, Polanco said in 2023. “I don’t think I will ever ask for a day off in my career. I don’t like to ask for a day off.” He said this at the end of his season that was compromised by hamstring injuries. He lost his second base job but was transferred to the hot corner department. 

The Twins exercised their 2024 option on Polanco, then traded him to the Seattle Mariners for four players and cash. He stunk up the joint in his first year in Seattle, slashing just .213/.296/.355. He also ranked poorly in defensive metrics back at second base. But once again, it seems like he wasn’t fully healthy. After the season, Polanco underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his left knee. 

Despite his performance in ‘24, the Mariners re-signed Polanco for one year and $7 million to come back and try again in 2025. He started the season off great, slumped in May and June, then was good again the rest of the way. The married father of four slashed .265/.326/.495 for the year. He mostly DHed, but when he played second he was average with a -1 OAA. Mariner teammates bestowed the nickname “George Bonds” on Polanco. In Game 2 of the 2025 AL Division Series, Jorge/George homered not once but twice off of Tarik Skubal to help the Mariners win. In the deciding fifth game, Polanco hit the series-winning RBI single in the 15th inning. After the season, which ended when the Blue Jays beat the Mariners in Game 7 of the ALCS, Polanco declined his 2026 player option. On December 13th, it was reported that Polanco signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Mets. He almost went back to the Mariners, but the Mets supposedly offered more/similar money, and New York is where his father lives. 

The Mets “are open” to trading Mark Vientos, according to Pat Ragazzo at Sports Illustrated. Swaggy V doesn’t fit Stearns’ “run prevention” obsession, but then again neither does Jorge Polanco, so we’ll see what happens. 

The Mets signed 29-year-old RHP Daniel Duarte to a minor league deal. He did not pitch in 2025 after undergoing UCL revision surgery in 2024. The Mexican native appeared in 31 games for the Reds in 2023, pitching to a 3.69 ERA but a 5.84 FIP.

Juan Soto gets along well with Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto said.

Soto won the Juan Marichal Award, given to the best player from the Dominican Republic in MLB. Soto then got to meet Mr. Marichal.

Pete Alonso, Ryne Stanek, and others went to A.J. Minter’s wedding over the weekend. Congrats A.J.!

On this day in 2004, Pedro Martinez shocked the world by signing a four-year, $53 million deal with the Mets. 

On this day in 1967, the Mets acquired Tommie Agee and Al Weis from the White Sox.