Mets activate Jorge Polanco from 60-day IL, reshaping roster before series vs. Royals

The New York Mets reinstated infielder Jorge Polanco from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, ending his absence from the major league lineup that began earlier in April. The move comes as the Mets prepared for their series-opening game against the Kansas City Royals, and it triggered a wider set of roster adjustments to fit Polanco back onto the active roster.

Polanco’s return follows a long rehabilitation window connected to Achilles bursitis, a condition that limited his ability to play through the early part of the season. According to Yahoo Sports’ reporting, he was also shut down from a rehab assignment in June due to persistent soreness in his ankle, before resuming playing in rehab games with Triple-A Syracuse on June 27. In his rehab run, he turned in a productive stretch, including two home runs and three RBI across his past three reported rehab games.

The Mets’ decision marks Polanco’s first appearance back in the majors since April 14. At the time of his injury, he was in the first year of a two-year, $40 million contract with the Mets, and the early-season sample he played before the IL stint had been limited to 14 games, leaving his 2026 production difficult to project without the extended context of the injury.

To create room for Polanco on the roster, New York also optioned Ronny Mauricio back to Triple-A Syracuse, a move that shifts one infielder out of the big league picture while keeping the organization’s depth available for the coming weeks. The Mets simultaneously added right-handed pitcher Matt Seelinger, who, per reporting, was acquired the previous day from the Detroit Tigers for cash considerations and placed on the major league roster.

The corresponding roster churn did not stop with the activation. In a separate step described by Yahoo Sports, New York designated pitchers Alex Carrillo and Guillermo Zuñiga for assignment, with Zuñiga identified as having made his Mets debut just a day earlier. Those designations are part of the practical reality of returning an established position player from the 60-day IL, since the 40-man roster has to accommodate both the returnee and any additions made for depth or matchups.

The backdrop for the Mets is that multiple key players have been managing rehab timelines at different speeds. The same reporting noted that Luis Robert Jr.’s rehab assignment has been transferred to Double-A Binghamton as the team’s lower-level schedule continues, illustrating how the organization has been managing the flow of returning talent while still maintaining a major league roster capable of covering daily needs.

For Polanco, the immediate storyline is how quickly he can return to game-ready form after the Achilles-related restriction and the subsequent rehab pause. His activation also tightens the Mets’ infield and lineup options in the near term, but his path forward will be watched closely for how his range and timing look after an absence that ran long enough to require a 60-day stint.

With the Royals series as the next test, New York will also be evaluating the ripple effects of the roster shuffle. Seelinger’s promotion adds another pitching look to the bullpen and rotation insurance picture, while the players who were sent down or designated for assignment will be watched to see whether their roles change through a potential trade, a waiver claim, or time back in the minors.