Polanco’s rehab is shut down again after left-ankle soreness, Mets send him back for evaluation

Jorge Polanco’s second attempt to return from left Achilles bursitis hit another snag when he reported ankle discomfort during his Triple-A workload, prompting New York to pause his rehab and recheck the timeline.

By The Apex Times Newsroom3 min readAI-assisted Apex article

New York Mets first baseman Jorge Polanco’s return push stalled again Saturday, as the club shut down his rehab assignment after he reported left ankle soreness during his running progression with Triple-A Syracuse. Polanco was sent back to New York for further evaluation after alerting trainers, a decision Mets manager Carlos Mendoza described as necessary once discomfort appeared before Syracuse’s game against Scranton.

The setback is the latest complication in a season that began with Polanco on the injured list on April 18 due to left Achilles bursitis. He had been playing through the ailment earlier in the year, and when he began what was expected to be a lengthy rehab on May 27, the Mets believed his progress had reached the point where a return could be possible. Mendoza said after Friday’s work that the club wanted to continue building him before he rejoined the major league team, which included targets such as four at-bats as a designated hitter and seven innings on defense.

Because Polanco’s rehab ramp appeared to be trending in the right direction, New York even considered that he might be activated this weekend in San Diego. That possibility was pushed back after the soreness emerged in the moment, with Mendoza saying the Mets would not see Polanco in San Diego and would instead take another look at what the ankle discomfort means for baseball activities.

Polanco’s rehab work has been a mix of DH and defensive reps, and the Mets had tracked his progress across multiple minor-league stops. According to the team, Polanco made six appearances since being cleared for rehab, including three games with Double-A Binghamton and three with Syracuse, with back-to-back-to-back games at first base. He also had already received an MRI earlier in the season that found no structural damage to the left Achilles, only inflammation around the ligament, which helped set expectations that his issue might be manageable without a longer structural setback.

From a roster construction standpoint, Polanco’s latest shut-down likely extends the Mets’ reliance on a rotating group at first base and at DH. The club has used Mark Vientos, Jared Young, and Brett Baty at first while Polanco has been sidelined, and the team indicated that this pattern would probably continue if Polanco remains inactive for a significant period. The timing carries additional pressure because the Mets are already missing other regulars, with Francisco Lindor, Francisco Alvarez, and Luis Robert Jr. among those on the injured list, as reflected in MLB’s current Mets injury tracking.

The immediate takeaway for New York is that the return timeline remains fluid. Polanco is now in the “evaluate and rebuild” stage again, and his next steps will likely depend on what the Mets find regarding the relationship between the earlier Achilles inflammation and the newly reported ankle soreness. For the Mets, the question is not just when Polanco can resume rehab, but whether another shut-down would force them to keep leaning on less-established options at first and DH while the rest of the lineup fights to stay whole.

Why It Matters

Polanco’s paused rehab lengthens the Mets’ need for stable production at first base and DH, positions that often require consistent reps to find comfort after injury.
With multiple regulars also on the injured list, Polanco’s status increases the odds that New York’s lineup will keep operating with a rotating cast rather than settling into a predictable core.
The Mets’ immediate month may hinge on whether Polanco’s latest soreness is a brief setback or a sign that his Achilles recovery is still not fully converging with game readiness.
From a decision-making perspective, the shutdown underscores how the organization is prioritizing longer-term health over rushed activation, even when a near-term return seemed possible.

Sources

Key Facts

The Mets shut down Jorge Polanco’s Triple-A Syracuse rehab after he reported left ankle soreness during his running progression.
Polanco will return to New York for further evaluation after alerting trainers before Syracuse’s game against Scranton.
Polanco has been on the injured list since April 18 for left Achilles bursitis and began his rehab assignment May 27.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said the plan included building Polanco up with at-bats as a DH and defensive innings before any possible activation.
The Mets said Polanco made six rehab appearances since clearing for rehab, including three with Double-A Binghamton and three with Syracuse.
MLB’s Mets injury tracking shows Polanco’s left Achilles bursitis on the IL since April 18, with the latest update noting he is back from rehab and will be reevaluated.
New York has leaned on Mark Vientos, Jared Young, and Brett Baty at first during Polanco’s absence, and that likely continues if he remains shut down.