Ever since the universal DH showed up in the National League, the New York Mets have treated the spot like a junk drawer. Need a little power? Toss in Daniel Vogelbach. Need a right-handed platoon bat? Dig around for Darin Ruf. Need vibes, a short fuse, and a hot streak? Welcome, Jesse Winker. Sometimes it worked for a minute. Usually it turned into a monthly scavenger hunt.
That’s what makes the Jorge Polanco move feel different. Not because he’s some perfect, no-notes DH solution — Mets fans know better than to trust “problem solved” banners in December — but because Polanco arrives as an actual middle-of-the-order bat coming off a real season, not so much a renaissance.