Jorge Polanco vs. the guy the NY Mets should’ve signed reached its peak

The return of Jorge Polanco to the New York Mets lineup on Tuesday resulted in a 1 for 4 day with a near-home run, a double, RBI, a walk, and a strikeout. It wasn’t good or bad. It was just a footnote on a wild game against the Kansas City Royals.

The decision to pay him $40 million over two seasons was one of the biggest shocks of the winter. The plan of turning the longtime middle infielder into a first baseman despite zero experience was met with criticism in the days following the loss of Pete Alonso in free agency to the Baltimore Orioles. Skeptical it could ever work, Polanco’s lengthy IL stint has made him one of several representatives from an offseason of misfires. 

While Polanco was raising his OPS to .558 on the season while playing his 15th game of the season, an alternative the Mets could have pursued for less money had one of the best individual performances of the year. A 4 for 5 day at the plate with 3 home runs and 10 RBI for Ryan O’Hearn against the Atlanta Braves couldn’t have happened at a more (in)convenient time.

Ryan O'Hearn reminded the Mets how badly they missed by signing Jorge Polanco instead

A first baseman/corner outfielder on a team that went into this season with questions at both spots and answering only the latter, O’Hearn signed a two-year deal worth $29 million to join the Pittsburgh Pirates. $11 million less than what Polanco gets from the Mets, the fit is obvious.

Worth 6 OAA last year at first base and 1 OAA this season at the position, he has served the Pirates regularly as a below-average right fielder. As things this season with the Mets progressed, they wouldn’t have utilized him much out there anyway. It’s mostly moot. Nevertheless, to have someone with that kind of flexibility in comparison to Polanco who was pitched as an infield option who’ll mostly DH and is now going to probably only DH makes O’Hearn look even better.

More than one big day at the plate, O’Hearn now has 16 home runs, 61 RBI, and a .293/.351/.500 slash line. The fact that he has more home runs than games Polanco has played for the Mets is insane. He’s now one away from tying last year’s career-high of 17 long balls.

While fans have been chanting for Pete Alonso and even whipped out Brandon Nimmo’s name in Polanco’s return, the Polar Bear was never in the same class as Polanco. His 5-year deal worth $155 million was out of the price range the Mets were comfortable with. O’Hearn, at a lower cost than Polanco, was as close to a peer as you’ll find in free agency.

O’Hearn didn’t sign with Pittsburgh until January 8th while Polanco had his sack of cash from the Mets secured on December 16th. Was it a panic move or a creative shot in the dark that we’re Monday morning quarterbacking a little too much?

In either case, Polanco has a lot of catching up to do in order to save this choice. Nothing about what he has done comes close to what Pittsburgh has been rewarded with for signing O’Hearn.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow