Jorge Polanco's dedication to extra batting practice paid dividends on Wednesday as he delivered a breakout performance for the New York Mets in their 6-5, 10-inning victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Polanco, who had been struggling at the plate, took approximately 300 swings before the game, a regimen that interim manager Andy Green noted was a step toward returning to productivity.
The veteran designated hitter responded with a 2-for-4 performance, including his second home run of the season and first since April. The third-inning blast ended an 0-for-26 skid. "After putting a lot of work in it feels great," Polanco said after the game.
Polanco arrived on a two-year contract worth $40 million but has been limited to 30 games this season due to injuries, including Achilles and wrist issues. He began Wednesday's game with a .388 OPS, reflecting a difficult start to his tenure with the Mets. "Sometimes the sweat equity gets you rolling again," Green commented on Polanco's workout. "There's a ton of ability in him. There's a long track record. If you're out there watching him there's a good swing."
In other Mets news, Sammy Stafura, recently acquired by the team, was named the South Atlantic League's Player of the Month for July. Stafura led the league in home runs (14), RBIs (35), slugging percentage (.926), and OPS (1.305). The Mets traded Luke Weaver to the Pirates to acquire the 21-year-old Stafura. Additionally, Jefry Yan became the seventh Mets player to make his major league debut this season.
Manager Andy Green also addressed the team's outfield alignment, explaining Brett Baty's start in left field. "When you look out at this outfield, this is one of the biggest right fields in baseball and I think we know how good Carson is in right field," Green said. "It's a tighter left field, obviously a very big wall. If [Baty] has confidence in that position, which he does, that turns out to be his best position, especially at this field, and it keeps from jerking Carson back and forth."