Mets call up Chris Devenski, send Jorge Polanco to 60-day IL ahead of Astros series

The Mets made a roster adjustment ahead of Friday’s series opener against the Astros, selecting right-hander Chris Devenski from Triple-A and transferring infielder Jorge Polanco to the 60-day injured list. The move reshapes New York’s pitching options for the start of a key interleague stretch and clarifies the timeline on Polanco’s availability.

Devenski’s selection indicates that the Mets wanted a live, major-league-ready bullpen option for the opening set in Houston. In roster terms, a call-up like this typically reflects an immediate need for innings coverage, either because of workload planning or because of day-to-day bullpen usage that can change from one series to the next.

For Polanco, the 60-day injured list designation is a larger commitment than a shorter stint. A move to the 60-day IL generally means the team expects the injured list time horizon to extend beyond the next several weeks, with the practical effect that Polanco will remain unavailable for a longer portion of the schedule while New York operates without him.

The timing matters because interleague series can tighten the margin for rotation and bullpen management. When a team is preparing to face a lineup like Houston’s, it often targets specific bullpen matchups and leverage planning for the first innings of the series, not just the middle of the week.

Jorge Polanco’s placement also shifts playing-time planning. When a regular infielder is on the shelf for an extended window, the Mets typically rely more heavily on depth in the infield, changes in defensive alignment, and a redistribution of at-bats across multiple players. The result is that managerial decisions on the day’s lineup become more consequential than usual, particularly in games that hinge on situational hitting.

Meanwhile, Devenski’s path to the majors gives New York an additional relief look, potentially widening the options for later innings if the Mets find themselves chasing or protecting narrow leads. Even without details on innings or matchups, adding a new bullpen arm can help a club keep its higher-leverage relievers from being stretched too thin across consecutive days.

What to watch next is how the Mets handle the immediate aftermath of these transactions. The club’s next-day pitching usage, which relievers see longer runs of work, and how the infield is constructed in Polanco’s absence will indicate how the organization intends to cover the roster gap while Devenski begins his major-league role.