Mets activate Jorge Polanco from 60-day IL, DFA Alex Carrillo to reshape roster

The Mets began reshaping their roster on Tuesday by activating infielder Jorge Polanco from the 60-day injured list. New York’s announcement sets Polanco up to rejoin the club immediately after being sidelined for an Achilles injury that began in mid-April.

Polanco, 33, is returning as part of the Mets’ ongoing effort to balance the middle-infield look with additional lineup flexibility. He had been acquired in the offseason on a two-year, $40MM contract following a rebound season with the Mariners, and the organization had been positioning him for frequent work not only at second and short, but also at first base and as a designated-hitter option.

The timing underscores the difficulty of building a steady role when injuries shorten the calendar. According to MLB Trade Rumors’ reporting, Polanco has appeared in only 14 games so far this season. In 61 plate appearances, he has hit for a.179/.246/.286 line with one home run and three doubles. His walk and strikeout profile has been similar to a player trying to re-find timing after missing extended time, with five walks and 11 strikeouts reported.

To create the roster space for Polanco, New York designated right-hander Alex Carrillo for assignment. The Mets followed that with a move at the position-player level as well, optioning infielder Ronny Mauricio to Triple-A Syracuse to open a spot on the 26-man roster.

The Mets also made additional transaction moves tied to the same roster math. MLB Trade Rumors reported that New York confirmed the DFA of right-hander Guillo Zuniga and, later in the day, selected the contract of newly acquired right-hander Matt Seelinger. Collectively, the sequence indicates the Mets are prioritizing active depth at both infield and bullpen/arbitration-eligibility pipelines while cycling players who need further development or who do not currently fit the daily mix.

Polanco’s return is the headline, but the real question for New York will be how quickly the offense can integrate him into the batting order and how consistently he can handle the defensive assignments. With his season production limited to 14 games to date, the immediate impact will likely be measured in usage patterns and at-bats rather than any single-game result.

Next to watch is what happens after the DFAs, since players placed on waivers can be claimed, traded, or cleared depending on need across the league. For the Mets, the goal is straightforward: keep Polanco available for regular work while using the roster openings to stabilize both the infield bench and pitching support around the active rotation of starters and relievers.