The Mariners are bringing back Jorge Polanco. Seattle is reportedly in agreement with the veteran infielder on a one-year deal, pending a physical, that guarantees $7.75MM and includes a vesting/player option for 2026. The Octagon client will make a $7MM base salary next year and is guaranteed at least a $750K option buyout. There are an additional $3.5MM available in incentives. Seattle intends to move the longtime second baseman to third base.
Polanco’s first season with the Mariners was a disappointment. Seattle acquired the switch-hitter from the Twins late last offseason. They expected him to provide a significant offensive boost in the infield. That didn’t pan out, as Polanco struggled through arguably the worst year of his career. He hit .213/.296/.355 with 16 home runs through 469 plate appearances. 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.
Before last season, Polanco had been one of the league’s more productive middle infielders. He combined for a .255/.333/.462 slash with a strong 10.1% walk rate in more than 1400 plate appearances over his final three seasons in Minnesota. Polanco had hit 33 homers back in 2021 and was an annual threat for 20 longballs and 30+ doubles. Polanco managed just 11 doubles during his first year in Seattle. He continued to draw walks at a solid 9.8% clip, but he struck out in more than 29% of his plate appearances.
Some of the offensive downturn is attributable to T-Mobile Park. Seattle plays in MLB’s most pitcher-friendly home stadium. Polanco had an especially difficult time at home. He hit .193/.284/.322 while striking out at a 31.9% clip in Seattle. His road production (.233/.308/.386 with a 26.7% strikeout rate) was better but still well below his previous standards.
Health may have been a bigger issue than the ballpark. Polanco underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his left knee within weeks of the season’s conclusion. He had reportedly played through discomfort for a good portion of the season. Polanco is expected to be ready for the start of Spring Training. The Mariners are as familiar as any team with his health history. They evidently believe that last year’s struggles were something of an aberration.
While he’s entering his 10th full season, Polanco is only 31. His relative youth provides some optimism that last year was mostly a health-related anomaly. That said, the whiffs have been a multiyear concern. Polanco’s strikeout rate has climbed by multiple percentage points in five straight seasons. In 2020, he fanned in just 15.5% of his plate appearances. That jumped successively to a 25.7% clip in his final season with the Twins, which climbed nearly four points more with the Mariners.
Polanco’s previous contract included a $12MM team option that came with a $750K buyout. Seattle declined that relatively easily. Four months later, they bring him back at a slightly lesser salary. It’s probably not a coincidence that the performance bonuses theoretically allow him to max out next year’s guarantee at $11.25MM — the differential below the option price and the buyout.
They’re not quite running things back, as Polanco’s return comes with a position change. He has been a middle infielder throughout his career. Polanco played shortstop until moving to second base in 2021. He didn’t play anywhere other than second base last season. His major league third base experience consists of 20 starts and 180 innings. Polanco has never been a great defensive second baseman. His range could be less of an issue at third, though that’ll put some pressure on his arm. Polanco didn’t show great arm strength at second base, though that’s not a direct comparison to throwing across the diamond — which he did during his time as a shortstop.
Seattle feels more comfortable with their internal options at second base than they do at the hot corner. That bodes well for 25-year-old Ryan Bliss, who is likely to get first crack at the second base job. Bliss debuted late last season and hit .222/.290/.397 in 33 games. A former second-round pick by the Diamondbacks, he had a quality .269/.377/.456 showing over 433 plate appearances with Triple-A Tacoma last year.
The M’s will likely give Bliss the bulk of the playing time while working utilityman Dylan Moore through the position. Seattle’s lone additional MLB free agent signing, Donovan Solano, can also play some second base (though he’ll get more work as a platoon partner for Luke Raley at first). Seattle didn’t have anyone established at third base after non-tendering Josh Rojas.
Seattle wasn’t the only team interested in expanding Polanco’s versatility. He reportedly drew interest from the Astros as a possibility at either third base or in left field. Polanco has seemingly been Houston’s primary fallback if they don’t re-sign Alex Bregman. They no longer need a third baseman after landing Isaac Paredes in the Kyle Tucker deal, but they’re still hunting for a left fielder and would like to re-sign Bregman. That’d push Paredes to second and Jose Altuve to left field.
Seattle has reportedly had around $15-20MM in payroll space this winter. Solano and Polanco have accounted for just over $11MM, leaving a few million for a potential bench bat or middle relief pickup. RosterResource calculates their 2025 player payroll around $152MM.
Ken Rosenthal and Chandler Rome of The Athletic first reported that Polanco and the Mariners had an agreement. Rosenthal was first to report the $7.75MM guarantee and the move to third base. Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reported that it was a one-year deal with a vesting/player option. Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 reported the $3.5MM in incentives. Image courtesy of Imagn.
Reynaldo's
Desperation on both sides, we’ll take it i guess.
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
Desperation is an understatement
It’s more like sign him or get 50 games of subpar yoan moncada
toycannon
His power seemed to be picking toward the end of last season under Edgar and Wilson, do hopefully he can get back to his old self out if the gate this season under the “new management”. If another 3B/2B bat is brought in,, they can plug Polanco in at DH to platoon with Hanger. Now is the time to also bring back Turner to platoon at 1B with Raley. Need a right handed bat and Turner is consistent and dependable and fit in nicely last season. if Turner goes elsewhere, then (reluctantly?) bring France back as the rh 1B platoon. Not exciting moves, but still welcome additions. Or, maybe Locklear has a breakout Spring?
Reynaldo's
There is no more room for JT with Solano + Locklear
SLL
I hope they do sign Turner, whether they use him at first or strictly as a DH.
Neither Haniger nor Garver should ever be in the lineup as DH. Haniger should be the next one to be released.
BPG86
How exactly do you presume they bring back France? He’s under contract with Cincinnatti for this coming season.
NYCityRiddler
Hey, it worked last year. Wait, what? Ahahahaha!
davidk1979
Weird
AaronJudgeMVP29
What?
kylegocougs
Holy crap unexpected, I guess I like him as a bounce back candidate
hllywdjff
I’m so done with these idiots Jesus christ almighty God help us all!!!
chrisjaybecker
Not an actual Mariners fan? They’ve been doing this since 1977.
hllywdjff
Trust me I know I was 15 in 1977…
Tacoshells
They did.. something!!
Fever Pitch Guy
Taco – All I can say is “Hip hip Jorge!”!!!
chavac
A new low.
86mets
They loved him so much they just had to bring him and his .213/.296/.355 back. He does such wonders as a contact hitter…oh, wait. 137Ks in only 118 games explains the putrid stat line.
Murray Rothbard
I agree 100% but to be fair most hitters who go to Seattle suddenly suck. That batting eye and cool air stadium makes their pitchers look better and hitters look worse. Mariners leadership seems pretty clueless about how to be competitive
C Us Sink
Clueless and pretty stingy with the cheddar.
Eric D
I get it. But consider his 740 OPS in the 2nd half, he is a good bounceback candidate
SLL
He is. But can he play third base?
top jimmy
Can’t play it any worse than he does 2B.
Chuck from Uniontown
2019 All-Star
solaris602
Gotta squint hard through binoculars in the rear view mirror to see that. To put it simply, they needed to sign Alex Bregman, but instead they settled for the lowest tier and a guy who stunk the place up for THEM in 2024. You know the guy who sucked like nobody’s business for us last year and we kicked him to the curb? We just gave him his old job back. He was in the discount bin at Dollar Tree, and we’d been drinking, so……..
sad tormented neglected mariners fan
He better be healthy man because we can’t take another 600 ops season again
This is as unexpected as Alex bregman going back to the Astros- wait that didn’t happen yet
taesamlee
I’m ok with this. With what’s left anyways. Won’t interfere with Cole Young’s timeline too much
bus035
Ken Rosenthal said Polanco is moving to 3B. Cole Young is most likely going to play 2B after a hopeful mid summer call up.
Holyshirts
I loved Polo as a Twin but his few exploits as a third baseman there were by all accounts disastrous. Plus I don’t think he has the arm strength to play there regularly anyway.
Murray Rothbard
Why would hitters sign in Seattle? They must be overpaying him or he doesn’t care about his stats. That stadium kills production from the plate. There’s over a 20 point difference in his OPS+ from his last minny season compared to what he did last year in Seattle. He probably didn’t get many teams showing interest because you have to be crazy to be willing to hit in Seattle
oscar gamble
Great city to live in
Murray Rothbard
Yeah I love Seattle. They have a ton of homeless everywhere but also my favorite hot dogs. The combo of cream cheese, sauerkraut, grilled onions and jalapenos on a hot dog and beautiful city isn’t enough to tank your stats though. Making millions of dollars per year means every major league city is a great city to live in. Maybe the M’s outbid everyone by a significant factor and combined with no state income tax, it convinced him. I’m just surprised that the M’s front office struggles with competing so much.
nonchalanto
Or, maybe he sees an opportunity to prove you wrong.
Murray Rothbard
@nonchalanto
That’s unlikely. Jorge and I have never met or exchanged words
nonchalanto
Yes, but you are an example of many fans across many sports doubting an athletes ability to do his job. And athletes have said numerous times that the so called “haters” have motivated them. I will concede your point about playing in Seattle but sometimes there are other reasons for signing a free agent contract.
Murray Rothbard
That’s why I was considering the possibilities. Yours just seems ridiculous and unlikely but I don’t mean to insult you. Maybe I have motivated Polanco. I don’t think our comments mean as much as you think they do though. It’s pretty silly to think that way, right?
Murray Rothbard
@Nonchalanto
If Polanco out performs expectations, I’ll take credit at behest of you
FlakySouthpaw
Maybe he’s read your bad economics
Murray Rothbard
@flakysouthpaw Maybe he doesn’t understand economics like you don’t.
nonchalanto
I apologize, I didn’t mean to call you out specifically, although that’s exactly what I did. What possibilities were you considering?
Murray Rothbard
@nonchalanto
Maybe he loves living by extreme amounts of homeless. Maybe he loves Seattle dogs as much as I do. Maybe the M’s offered the most money. Those seem more likely than he wants to prove internet strangers wrong. I like your theory too though
nonchalanto
Thank you for clarifying your position. Him possibly signing a contract because of “He loves living by extreme amounts of homeless” seems unlikely, but I appreciate your opinion. Also you suggested he doesn’t care about his stats which sounds reasonable I guess because I’m sure I’ve heard an athlete talk about how wins as a team matter.
I’m just confused about being “crazy”and what my theory was? Also, I didn’t suggest “internet strangers” I said fans.
Have a good night.
warwhatisitgoodfor
You know there is a greater surrounding community in Seattle that doesn’t have this “extreme” homelessness you are referring to lmfaoooo.
I don’t see you blowing up NY, LA, Chicago, or Denver posts with things that have zero to do with sports.
BPG86
No state income tax is a good reason.
Murray Rothbard
Yes bpg
That’s why I mentioned income tax earlier
BPG86
I must have missed it in the thread; my bad.
GabeItch
Cheater alert! Just like Cano
mlbnyyfan
Probably out of the Yankees budget. So who’s left to sign for 3B for Yankees on the cheap and desperate???
KnicksFanCavsFan
@mlb
I’d rather give DJ or one of the nva a shot rather than just throwing money at a guy like Polanco. He would’ve cost the Yanks an additional $11 mil so with the tax, he would be around $22 mil.
top jimmy
Jose Iglesias.
KnicksFanCavsFan
YES. I’ve heard nothing about that guy this winter.
Reynaldo's
How did he cheat?
Dogham
I like this move. Polonco is a good hitter. Everyone was down last year. I expect a better year from him under Edgar and Seitzer’s guidance.
LordD99
I figured he’d try to get out of Seattle since it’s not a great hitter’s party, but it looks like the two sides were each others best and only dance partners.
Cincyfan85
Who had this on their Bingo card? No one…
SLL
At the end of last season I thought they might keep him – but once they let him go, I sure didn’t expect to see him come back.
❤️ MuteButton
Good! I’m relieved that he will not be signing with the Astros. Nothing against Jorge, just not a great fit.
Reynaldo's
The .193/.284/.322 splits at home is ghastly, but so was every other Mariner’s hitter.
Lindor's Bodyguard
Mariners do nothing for me to want to be a Mariners fan. I have lived here for 34 years. Still rooting for the Mets.
nonchalanto
Your point is you are a Mets fan?
El Kabong
The article isn’t about you.
Murray Rothbard
Damn el kabong. Are you BlueSkiesLA’s burner? You both love to fight with everyone on this website and make dodger fans look bad
El Kabong
I responded to a strange comment.
Murray Rothbard
In a strange way. Maybe you should take a break. This is just baseball, no need to make it personal
nonchalanto
I thought his reply was well within the parameters of the op comment and mine. Maybe you shouldn’t take comments personal.
Murray Rothbard
It wasn’t directed at me so I didn’t take it personally but he made it personal about the person they were responding to be using the word “you”
I’m sorry you struggle with reading comprehension nonchalanto
yeasties
Lindor has a larger, valid point though-present day Seattle is largely a city of transplants. The team has not done very much to get transplanted baseball fans to change allegiances.
Eric D
I’m guessing the incentives could reach 11.25m, so that if he performs well enough (with the buyout of 750k on the 12m option) he can still get the 12m value for 2025. I like the 7m base.
Seager Slams
Well, he’s a good bounce back candidate. I still like Brendan Rodgers more, but I’m okay with this.
SupremeZeus
Getting the band back together. Sad trombone is now in the fold.
Butter Biscuits
Why not trade for Lux like the reds did certainly much cheaper with better production
SLL
Gavin Lux was mostly a disappointment with the Dodgers (though their standards are pretty high). If you subtract 20 points or so from his average due to playing in Seattle, he’s no prize.
More concerning would be the fact that he hasn’t played third base. Well, he tried a couple times. His major league experience was part of one game. He made two assists and had two errors.
He did a little better in the minors: parts of 4 games, 5 assists, 1 error.
But last year the Dodgers had to move him to second base because he somehow lost his ability to play shortstop. That doesn’t make me think he would do well throwing from third.
nonchalanto
I was hoping they would bring him back on a one year deal. He was fine after recovering from his injury. As far as 3rd base goes? OK?
hllywdjff
Not ok for him on the roster at all…
Poolhalljunkies
Because this worked out so well last season…
SadMsFan
If Solano plays half as well as he did last year, and Polanco plays half as well as he did in 2023, and Garver plays even less than half as well as he did in 2023, and Haniger, Crawford, Arozarena, Julio, and Raley play just a little better than they did last year, and Raleigh is around as good as he was last year, and since we have just about the same pitching staff, the Mariners could beat the very much depleted (unless the resign Bregman) Astros, the improved A’s and Angels, and the depleted Rangers, and win the AL West by a game or two. Literally, everyone should suck just enough, and the Mariners should be just a tiny bit better than last year, to help the Mariners to an AL West title. What? We can all hope…
Murray Rothbard
If, if, if and if all that happens. You guys might make the playoffs. Thank god the AL west is looking bad this year compared to past seasons
hllywdjff
Maybe maybe maybe maybe maybe…The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and over expecting different results…The Mariner management is definitely insane!
solaris602
And IF my aunt had balls, she’d be my uncle. If is the biggest two-letter word in the English language.
Enrico Pallazzo
It’s a lot of ifs but you’re also not wrong
terrymesmer
What a terrible signing.
Zippy the Pinhead
Unless surprises happen in Peoria, that puts DMo back on the bench (and still get 350+ AB) and Shenton back to Tacoma. Bliss has 2B and Raley/Polanco at 1B. Still one batter short if Haniger’s the DH. Too-early prediction: 86-76. One game out of the playoffs (aka Purgatory).
hllywdjff
82-80 at best…
SLL
Haniger should not be DH. Wouldn’t it be great to have a DH who can actually hit?
ForDoingNothing
Seattle, where hitters go to die.
BigRedMachine
I don’t know what to say anymore. This is how you spend your offseason? DESPERATELY NEEDING HITTING to build on and along with one of the best rotations in baseball? You have a chance to make the jump with this rotation and you bring back the same guy who was a huge part of your hitting woes this past season? You also tell me you are going to play him at 3b so that means you are going to platoon Moore and Bliss at second and you are done. This is the team? This is the money you spend after the rebuild and a promise of we will spend when we are close? WE ARE CLOSE and YOU ARE CHEAP JOHN STANTON. This is really it??? These are our off season moves?
solaris602
Oh, we haven’t any money, so we operate like the Guardians on Valium and Thunderbird.
TheHighCheese4Me
Mostly Thunderbird… A lot of it.
BPG86
Moore was already slated for a 2B platoon by almost every sports media outlet on the planet. And now it seems as if Raley and Solano will split 1B.
I really wish Jerry would quit with the advanced metrics crap and just let dudes get in a groove and play every day.
The_Porcupine
While i dont think he will rebound greatly, i am even more skeptical of him playibg 3b
Bnickles127
LFG!!! I like it
PrincessYuki
When Houston started showing interest in him I started hoping for this!
Primitive Screwhead
They’re counting on last year being the result of his injury. Let’s hope.
I’m not sanguine. These sort of hopes never work out for the Mariners.
TheHighCheese4Me
Gonna need a lot of miracles needed, at the corner of Edgar and Dave.
He can’t be any worse than he was last year, right?
McGrundle
I don’t know why, but I have a good feeling about this.
momTurphy
The only thing worse than Mariners fans perception of John Stanton is what Mariners fans are in reality.
AlienBob
The good news is we haven’t traded away any of our starting pitchers or elite prospects. I doubt any of the remaining free agents would move the needle enough to get us into the World Series. Would a first round exit from the playoffs be satisfying?
deepseamonster32
Did they sneak in with 86 wins and an anemic offense, or did they win 95 games and the AL West with a major trade deadline acquisition like Vlad?
bearproof
much more satisfying than missing by one game….again.
Stevil
I can’t believe some people are cool with this.
The potential incentives likely wrap up whatever dough is leftover, so the odds of another addition aren’t good.
But hey, this gives us a good reason to drink over the weekend.
BPG86
Mariners get Solano and Polanco for less than they were initially slated to pay for Polanco.
Will it amount to anything? Probably not; but with this budget, ever penny counts.
bearproof
I think the pennies are the only thing that counts for this ownership
Enrico Pallazzo
As a mariners fan my reaction to this is …Woopdy-doo
Baseball_dude
Seattle did nothing to help themselves this off season. It’s hard to respect a team that has a chance to win and does nothing to address their needs in the off season. The same with my own team, the orioles. The Orioles might have made some more moves but they were incredibly mediocre. It’s crazy because Seattle is my 2nd favorite team behind the Os, and both teams don’t know how to win.
Simm
And this site said cronenworth was worth 2-3m a year.
What a joke
Rosstradamus
Polanco was 12/31 last 8 games with a 7-game hit streak(6 of those games were on the Road, tho) and Struckout only 5 times vs 3 Walks! Sure it’s a small sample, but it was about his best looking run all season and it just happened to be one month AFTER Edgar was hired on as hitting coach…might be something there!
The expectation level on this guy is about 1 and a half on a 1-10 scale if you’re a Mariner Fan, so I think this guy can easily surpass his expectation and give him a chance to bounce-back here in Seattle, rather than going to the Dodgers or something(Teo) and having his bounce-back year somewhere else, Like most Ex-Mariners end up doing! Still GO M’s!!!
brucenewton
With their pitching, the M’s should bring in the fences.
Acoss1331
Polanco got better in secon half, I mean that’s a positive right? For both sides, sometimes it’s better to go with the devil you know.
ck420
My guess is that Cal Raleigh will not sign an extention with the Mariners. He is the heartbeat of this team and after his three years of arbitration, he is gone. So we have a three year window to compete. If we don’t spend any money or improve this offense significantly, I am done with this team and ownership. We have a solid core to build around, we don’t have the time for the next wave of of prospects to pan out. I went to my first game in 1987 in the Kingdome at the age of 11. Been a fan for a long time and getting tired.
bearproof
Great Move!! Go M’s!!!! I fully support the current regime!
Polanco should provide a nice upgrade over Polanco!
Looks like they are really going for it this year! Excited to buy tickets and purchase hotdogs and beer!
(wait…this isn’t LookOut Landing where toeing the approved party line is apparently a posting requirement…..)
Seattle fans deserve better than this.