MLB Insider Gives Offseason Outlook For Former Seattle Mariners Second Baseman
The MLB offseason is less than several weeks in, but there's been more and more smoke surrounding several teams, free agents and trade targets.
The most interesting storylines of the offseason will be which team wins out in the sweepstakes for superstar Juan Soto and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki, respectively. The Seattle Mariners are rumored to be preparing a pitch for the latter. The Mariners have also been tied to other players such as Hye-Seong Kim, Christian Walker, Yoan Moncada, Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz, among others.
Despite Seattle being linked to many Gold Glove and All Star-caliber players, there haven't been any moves made to bring one of them to the Pacific Northwest. The closest thing to a move made to the major league roster has been the signing of former Philadelphia Phillies prospect Adonis Media to a minor league deal with a Spring Training invite.
An argument could be made that the biggest Mariners move so far has been the departure of a player.
Seattle declined Jorge Polanco's $12 million club option the first week of the offseason. Polanco, an All-Star in 2019, was acquired by the Mariners on Jan. 29 in a trade with the Minnesota Twins.
Polanco dealt with an injury-plagued 2024 season. He underwent surgery after the regular season to repair a damaged patellar tendon. The switch-hitting infielder batted .213 with 16 home runs and 45 RBIs. He played 118 games and had two stints on the injured list.
Jorge Polanco is hitting his stride at the right time as the Mariners make their Wild Card push!
— Just Fantasy Baseball (@JustFantasyBB) September 25, 2024
A solo shot in the 2nd and an RBI single in the 3rd extends his hit streak up to 5 games 🔥
Entering tonight’s game Polanco was hitting .353 since Friday!
pic.twitter.com/Pj5Emo8cXq
Polanco will reportedly be recovered from his surgery and ready to go by Spring Training. A recent article from ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan shared what Polanco's outlook for 2025 could look like:
He's an excellent candidate for a one-year, make-good deal after undergoing surgery on a left knee that hampered him throughout the 2024 season.
Polanco still has value as an ambidextrous batter with 20-home run power. He has a market value of four years, $54.7 million ($13.7 AAV) according to Spotrac. If the 31 year-old bounces back in 2025, he could possibly find himself earning one more multi-year deal before the end of his career.
Related Stories on Seattle Mariners
MARINERS REPORTEDLY PREPARING A PITCH FOR SASAKI: The Seattle Mariners will make an attempt to sign Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Roki Sasaki when he is posted for free agency. CLICK HERE
MARINERS REPORTEDLY MONITORING INTERESTING THIRD BASEMAN: The Seattle Mariners are reportedly in play for a nine-year veteran and former Chicago White Sox infielder. CLICK HERE
MARINERS GM STEADFAST REGARDING NOT TRADING STARTING PITCHERS: Seattle Mariners General Manager Justin Hollander emphasized the team's desire to improve without moving a pitcher from its elite rotation. CLICK HERE
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