Mets place Jorge Polanco on 10-day injured list, set for near-term ankle surgery

The Mets announced Wednesday that switch-hitting infielder Jorge Polanco has been placed on the 10-day injured list with left ankle bursitis, a move that effectively ends his season. Team leadership said Polanco’s condition has progressed to the point where he cannot reliably function through pain, and interim manager Andy Green indicated surgery is expected soon.

Bursitis involves inflammation of the cushioning tissue around a joint, and in Polanco’s case it has affected his left ankle. The practical impact is immediate, because the Mets do not lose only a roster spot. They also lose an established right-handed bat in the infield mix who has been able to swing from both sides, giving New York an extra tactical lever late in games.

Green’s comments framed the decision as the next logical step after the ailment stopped being manageable. According to the Mets release, he said it has “gotten to the point where he just can’t get freedom from the pain,” and that Polanco is expected to have surgery on his ankle in the near term. That timeline matters because it reduces the Mets’ window for any possible return, instead turning the remainder of the year into a rehabilitation and evaluation period.

For a club operating under the urgency of late-season baseball, the injured-list placement shifts roles across the infield and affects who can handle starts, platoons, and situational at-bats. Polanco’s availability has also likely influenced manager decision-making on days when matchups matter and on days when the lineup needs a specific handedness or speed profile. With Polanco out, those choices move to other players on the active roster, and the Mets will have to cover more ground with their internal depth.

The Mets also face a broader challenge that comes with season-ending injuries. When a middle-of-the-order or infield regular goes down with a problem that requires surgery, the organization loses performance certainty for the stretch run and forces an adjustment to maintain run production and defensive stability. Even if the Mets are able to patch the lineup in the short term, they still have to plan for a lineup that will look different through the postseason if they reach it.

Polanco’s surgery expectation is the clearest next milestone. After the Mets place a player on the IL with a defined ailment and speak publicly about near-term surgery, fans and beat reporters typically look for follow-up updates on the procedure and initial recovery timeline. In the meantime, the Mets’ immediate focus will be on how quickly they can settle the infield roles and keep production steady while Polanco works through what the team is treating as a season-ending issue.

The key question moving forward is whether New York can maintain its offensive and defensive rhythm without its injured switch-hitting infielder. As the Mets continue their final stretch of games, Polanco’s absence will serve as a measuring stick for the depth behind him, and for how effectively the club can translate lineup coverage into wins while the regular season winds down.