Could the Seattle Mariners Still Bring Back Second Baseman Jorge Polanco?
On Friday, the Seattle Mariners made their first big move of the offseason by declining the team option on second baseman Jorge Polanco.
It had become increasingly clear that the Mariners were going to make this decision. Acquired in a trade last winter with the Minnesota Twins, Polanco battled knee injuries and hit just .213. He popped 16 homers but failed to provide adequate cover in a lineup that desperately needed it all season.
All that said, this development doesn't necessarily mean that the Mariners are done with Polanco. They are just done with him at that price.
The Seattle Mariners made their first big move of the offseason and declined the option of a former All-Star second baseman.#Mariners #TridentsUp https://t.co/6cTNyNtOVv
— Teren Kowatsch (@Teren_Kowatsch) November 1, 2024
Seattle absolutely could look to bring him back on a lesser deal in 2025, and maybe they will explore that avenue. Adam Jude of the Seattle Times reported on Friday that top prospect Cole Young isn't expected to be ready to take the job in 2025 and Ryan Bliss is a major question mark as well. So, if the organization doesn't want to hand the second base reigns over to those guys, the team will be stuck looking for yet another stopgap option on the free agent or trade market.
If Polanco is willing to take a lesser deal, perhaps they could just circle back to him. They already know him and there's reason to believe that with a surgically-repaired knee and a full year T-Mobile under his belt that he'll be better in 2025. If the M's front office thinks that too, then a potential reunion makes sense. There's also the question of if Polanco actually values the organization and would want to come back.
The Mariners finished 85-77 this past season.
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