The Red Sox kept tabs on free agent infielder Jorge Polanco before he agreed to terms with the Mets on Saturday. That pursuit wasn’t a particularly serious one, though.
Boston did not make a formal offer to Polanco before he agreed to a two-year, $40 million contract with New York, which was first reported by The Athletic’s Will Sammon. Polanco chose the Mets over the Mariners, according to Adam Jude of the Seattle Times, with Seattle making a “very competitive” two-year offer.
Polanco, who posted an .821 OPS with 26 homers and 78 RBIs and was a postseason hero for the Mariners in 2025, could have fit the Red Sox at second base or third base — or even first base, a position he will reportedly man for the Mets in the wake of Pete Alonso’s departure for Baltimore. The 32-year-old was one of many players on a long list of potential reinforcements for the Red Sox but was clearly not a top priority. One potential concern was defense, as Polanco struggled defensively last year (he played 38 games at second base and five more at third while serving mainly as Seattle’s designated hitter) as chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is intent on improving Boston’s infield defense in 2026.
With Alonso and Schwarber off the board, the Red Sox have been active in trying to add a bat over the past few days, as MassLive reported Friday. Boston remains engaged with free agent Alex Bregman about a reunion and has been involved in trade talks with Arizona on Ketel Marte, Houston on Isaac Paredes, St. Louis on Brendan Donovan and Willson Contreras, and other clubs. Free agents Bo Bichette and Kazuma Okamoto are possibilities as well. One player who seems less likely to land in Boston is power hitter Eugenio Suarez, as the Red Sox have yet to make an offer to Suarez, according to sources, and have not been aggressive in his market.