It’s been a quieter offseason than usual for the Seattle Mariners, at least at the major league level. On Thursday, the Mariners made one of their most significant offseason moves. That comes in re-signing Jorge Polanco, which doesn’t seem like a big move.
As Ken Rosenthal reported, Polanco had received some other interest this offseason, most notably from Mariners’ rival Houston Astros.
Jorge Polanco spent the 2023 season with the Mariners. During the campaign, he slashed .213/.296.355 with 11 doubles and 16 home runs—a down year for the switch-hitting veteran. The batting average and on-base percentage were personal lows. The slugging percentage was only marginally above his career-worst .354 mark from the shortened 2020 season.
However, after a gruesome first half, he looked better in the second half. Before last season, Polanco had been one of the most productive middle infielders in his time with Minnesota. Some may say that T-Mobile Park was the reason for his struggles, but health might have been the more significant issue. Polanco had played through some discomfort in his left knee for most of the season. He underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in that knee after the season concluded. He’s expected to be ready for spring training, so that shouldn’t be an issue.
The deal for Polanco is a one-year deal worth $7.75 million, with a vesting option for 2026. The contract also includes a buyout worth $750K for 2026. Assuming that all goes to plan, the Mariners plan to place Jorge Polanco at third base, which has been a position of need this offseason. His experience at third base at the Major League level is limited. It consists of just 20 starts and 180 innings.
Seattle feels more comfortable with its internal options for second base. That bodes well for Ryan Bliss, who would likely get the first crack at being the starter for the Mariners. They also have Dylan Moore, who has played the position full-time for Seattle. Cole Young could also see time there in 2025, depending on how soon he’s ready. The top prospect has been listed as a Non-Roster Invitee to Spring Training.
Donovan Solano could also see some time at second base, but he’s more likely to see time at first base as a platoon partner for Luke Raley. Solano and Polanco account for $11 million of the Mariners’ reported $15-20 Million budget, which means they now have less than $10 million to acquire bench role players or another quality bullpen arm.
