3 first basemen the NY Mets should still pursue, leaving Jorge Polanco as a DH

Just because they plan to have Jorge Polanco as a first baseman at times in 2026 doesn’t mean he’ll get a lot of shots there. The New York Mets stunned us all with the move. The perceived Pete Alonso replacement at first base isn’t really that. The position should be considered vacant with internal candidates.

They’ve added Polanco into the mix. If they’re looking for more, which they should be, these three available first basemen either in free agency or trades should be targets of theirs.

1) Kazumo Okamoto

Here’s the really good thing about Kazumo Okamoto: everything. Other than the unknown of how he’d handle the transition of playing in MLB versus Japan, he’s a direct match for what the Mets need and want. That unknown is pretty major so if the Mets fail to add him, we can’t hold it against them.

Okamoto is a former Gold Glove winning third baseman who’d give the Mets improved defense at first base and maybe even at third base. He’s at the point in his career where first base is where he’ll probably be best as a defender and with Brett Baty possibly rising further, it’s the spot the Mets could use him most.

His contract predictions align well with the Mets, too. MLB Trade Rumors predicted four years with a $16 million AAV. Give him three years at around the same total and call it a day.

Okamoto’s ability to play both corner infield positions makes him more desirable than a lot of the other choices out there. Fitting in snuggly to their plans of going short-term, it would be a shock if the team didn’t at least consider him. He gets bonus points for batting right-handed, something the Mets could use a little more of.