Mets say Jorge Polanco is on a recovery timetable after successful surgery, aiming to reach “baseball progression” work

The New York Mets are projecting forward recovery for 1B/DH Jorge Polanco after what the team has described as successful surgery earlier this week. Ahead of Friday’s opener against the Houston Astros, interim manager Andy Green told reporters that Polanco is expected to move into “baseball progression,” a common baseball term for the stage where an injured player begins activity that more closely resembles real-game movement and workload rather than only medical rehab.

Green’s comments frame the Mets’ short-term planning around process, not timelines. While the update confirms that the surgery went well, it does not provide a clear end date for when Polanco will be ready to resume full baseball duties. Instead, the emphasis is on progression, meaning the organization likely expects to introduce activity in controlled increments and adjust based on how Polanco responds during each step.

Polanco, a veteran position player for New York, adds a steadying presence to the lineup when healthy, particularly in a role that can include both left side of the infield work and designated-hitter responsibilities. His status affects more than one spot, because when a regular 1B/DH is unavailable, a team must redistribute at-bats and defensive assignments. The Mets’ approach to progression therefore connects directly to how they manage lineup depth during the stretch where his return remains uncertain.

The backdrop for this update is a critical moment in the schedule where MLB teams manage roster flexibility while trying to keep performance from slipping in the players asked to fill gaps. The Mets’ decision-making is shaped by the recovery-to-performance bridge. Even when surgery results are described as successful, the next question is always functional: can the player hit, run, and field at the speed and volume the game requires.

Friday’s game against the Astros underscores the practical side of the timetable. The Mets face a team that can challenge opponents with its own tempo and roster matchup plan, so New York’s internal questions about Polanco translate into who gets the biggest share of reps now. Green’s “baseball progression” framing also suggests the organization wants to avoid a premature return that could interrupt the rehab cycle, choosing instead to let Polanco advance through activities that the Mets can monitor closely.

What to watch next is not only whether Polanco begins baseball progression work, but how the Mets describe subsequent steps. In most cases, teams will move from earlier rehab activities to baseball-related drills, then to more frequent and higher-intensity sessions, before finally looking at a return to live game action. Any official update on Polanco’s stage, along with who is handling his regular role in the interim, will indicate how quickly New York feels comfortable shifting from medical recovery planning to on-field reintegration.