Old friend Polanco to the Mets

[mnfireman]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/12/mets-to-sign-jorge-polanco.html

[LewFordLives]

$40 million for two years. Wow. The silly season is underway.

[tony&rodney]

Fantastic for Jorge Polanco. Two years at $20M per year is amazing. Sure hope Polanco has a fabulous couple of years in New York.

[UpstateNewYorker]

Surprised to read he is expected to play 1B.  He has not played there at all in the majors, and the Mets are supposedly trying to improve their defense.  😕

[tony&rodney]

28 minutes ago, UpstateNewYorker said:

Surprised to read he is expected to play 1B.  He has not played there at all in the majors, and the Mets are supposedly trying to improve their defense.  😕

Polanco will be a big, big improvement at first base from what the Mets rolled out there last season .... at least with the glove.

[bunsen82]

The only thing it does do is remove a chair for a 1st baseman free agent.  Between the Orioles needing to trade 1 and the free agents it increases the Twins leverage slightly. 

[tony&rodney]

6 minutes ago, bunsen82 said:

The only thing it does do is remove a chair for a 1st baseman free agent.  Between the Orioles needing to trade 1 and the free agents it increases the Twins leverage slightly. 

I'm going to be very disappointed if the Twins settle for an Oriole. Just not a fan of Mountcastle. I understand there are others and it is possible that Ryan O'Hearn is a decent signing. Do you think the Twins will sign O'Hearn?

[bunsen82]

2 hours ago, tony&rodney said:

I'm going to be very disappointed if the Twins settle for an Oriole. Just not a fan of Mountcastle. I understand there are others and it is possible that Ryan O'Hearn is a decent signing. Do you think the Twins will sign O'Hearn?

I think O’Hearn is the best value, good defense, good contact bat that doesn’t cost a prospect. Can you get him for $10 million a year for 2 years. My guess is no that he is not the Twins preference and it’s Hoskins because they want a platoon advantage and a right handed bat.  The Twins are going to try to get the best deal and value. My bigger concern is still the bullpen. 

[tony&rodney]

Just now, bunsen82 said:

I think O’Hearn is the best value, good defense, good contact bat that doesn’t cost a prospect. Can you get him for $10 million a year for 2 years. My guess is no that he is not the Twins preference and it’s Hoskins because they want a platoon advantage and a right handed bat.  The Twins are going to try to get the best deal and value. My bigger concern is still the bullpen. 

If you are correct and I think that past practices suggests that you are correct, then this will be another sorry decision. 

Just a mindless guess - Ryan O'Hearn gets 2/$25M. 

[bunsen82]

1 minute ago, tony&rodney said:

If you are correct and I think that past practices suggests that you are correct, then this will be another sorry decision. 

Just a mindless guess - Ryan O'Hearn gets 2/$25M. 

I think O Hearn settles for 2 for 22 million.  I would sign him and Pete Fairbanks, trade Larnach and use the remaining 2.5 to 3 million for the best reliever you can get in that range.  Utility is the only hole and likely need to trade to fill that spot. 

[tony&rodney]

44 minutes ago, bunsen82 said:

I think O Hearn settles for 2 for 22 million.  I would sign him and Pete Fairbanks, trade Larnach and use the remaining 2.5 to 3 million for the best reliever you can get in that range.  Utility is the only hole and likely need to trade to fill that spot. 

I can live with a signing of Ryan O'Hearn. I would want him for 3/$30M if possible. Your number is likely right on. I had Pete Fairbanks and an inexpensive lefty like Thielbar on my roster all along. I would trade both Ober and Larnach despite really liking both players. That decision is more about money.

The major difference in my thinking is that I'm cashing in Joe Ryan and going all in to entice the A's into trading De Vries to the Twins. With Ober, Larnach, and Ryan's cash, I can add Bo Bichette. We both know that is a no-no. So it goes for Twins fans.

[bunsen82]

41 minutes ago, tony&rodney said:

I can live with a signing of Ryan O'Hearn. I would want him for 3/$30M if possible. Your number is likely right on. I had Pete Fairbanks and an inexpensive lefty like Thielbar on my roster all along. I would trade both Ober and Larnach despite really liking both players. That decision is more about money.

The major difference in my thinking is that I'm cashing in Joe Ryan and going all in to entice the A's into trading De Vries to the Twins. With Ober, Larnach, and Ryan's cash, I can add Bo Bichette. We both know that is a no-no. So it goes for Twins fans.

Never mind Fairbanks is likely a no go. Can’t play in colder climates with his Raynauds unless in a dome. 

[tony&rodney]

2 hours ago, bunsen82 said:

Never mind Fairbanks is likely a no go. Can’t play in colder climates with his Raynauds unless in a dome. 

I think Fairbanks is about as cold a place as there is in the U. S.

[mnfireman]

As another poster pointed out, Polanco has not played 1B in his career, and with the Mets big overpay, and still needing a 1B, O'Hearn is not going to settle for 2/$22 MM or 3/$30 MM. So far most of the FAs have gotten more than the "experts" predicted.