Jorge Polanco rejoined the New York Mets lineup Tuesday as the designated hitter, ending a nearly three-month absence caused by a right wrist contusion and chronic left Achilles bursitis. The switch-hitter, signed to a two-year $40 million contract to replace Pete Alonso at first base, batted .179 with one home run in 56 at-bats before landing on the injured list April 18.

A platelet-rich plasma injection in April failed to resolve the Achilles issue, and Polanco paused a rehab assignment in early June. He went 2-for-15 with two homers in five games for Triple-A Syracuse after resuming June 27. Interim manager Andy Green said Polanco will not play every day at DH but provides late-inning flexibility as a switch-hitter off the bench.

Outfielder Luis Robert Jr., sidelined since April 27 with a lumbar spine disc herniation, moved his rehab to Double-A Binghamton. Second baseman Marcus Semien, on the IL since June 25 with a left hip flexor strain, ran at 80% intensity Monday. To clear a roster spot, the Mets optioned Ronny Mauricio to Syracuse, designated Guillermo Zuniga and Alex Carrillo for assignment, and promoted 31-year-old Long Island native Matt Seelinger for his major league debut.

Polanco's return gives a last-place club a veteran bat, but his defensive limitations relegate him to DH duties. The Mets still lack clarity at first base and must evaluate whether Polanco's bat justifies the roster commitment over the season's final three months.