Jorge Polanco takes another step forward in Mets rehab, exits “feeling healthy” after Syracuse assignment

Jorge Polanco’s recovery from Achilles bursitis took a positive turn on Saturday night, when the Mets veteran resumed his rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse, according to Yahoo Sports. Polanco went hitless in the game, but the key development was how he felt after his work, with the report indicating he exited the contest feeling healthy and stronger.

Polanco is in the middle of a structured return process that typically follows the same basic progression for position players: increased time on the field, controlled hitting exposure, and monitoring for any return of pain or stiffness. An Achilles-related issue can be especially sensitive to day-to-day fluctuations, so a rehab update that centers on comfort and recovery is treated as meaningful information by team staff.

The Mets’ use of Syracuse as a rehab destination also reflects the organizational flow for players who need game repetitions without the immediate win-or-lose pressure of the major league club. While a single rehab game is not the end of the evaluation, it does function as a checkpoint for whether the injured foot and surrounding tissues can handle normal baseball demands, including sprinting, quick stops, and base-running mechanics.

From a roster-management standpoint, Polanco’s availability matters because a return from the injured list can affect the club’s infield alignment and designated-hitter planning. Even without making assumptions about timing, the team’s willingness to keep him in an active rehab rhythm suggests the Mets believe the recovery is trending in the right direction.

The report does include the most important caveat for fans: a rehab assignment is still a work in progress. Polanco going hitless does not indicate a regression, and the absence of further details about how the Achilles responded throughout the day limits what can be concluded beyond the comfort he reported after the game.

For what to watch next, the most relevant sign will be whether Polanco is able to sustain similar output and movement in subsequent rehab appearances, particularly if the organization moves him to the next step of the progression. Another practical marker will be whether Syracuse and the Mets can keep the work steady without additional downtime tied to soreness or stiffness.

As of this update, Polanco’s recovery story is one of incremental progress rather than a completed return. The Mets will likely continue to evaluate both performance and how his Achilles handles the demands of consecutive baseball days, with the goal of converting “feeling healthy” into a sustained major-league-ready status.