Brady's Spin: Why Are Some Seattle Mariners Fans So Down on Jorge Polanco?
Look, the Seattle Mariners acquired infielder Jorge Polanco last offseason in a trade with the Minnesota Twins, expecting him to be a thumper in the middle of the order.
It largely didn't happen. Polanco battled injury and generally slumped at the plate, hitting .213 with 16 homers and 45 RBI. He underwent surgery on his left patellar tendon after the season ended.
The M's declined their $12 million team option on him, sending him to free agency, but they brought him back on a one-year, $7.5 million deal.
Based on what you read in M's social media circles, several M's fans are down on Polanco's return, and some want to give the starting third base job to 24-year-old Ben Williamson, who has never played above Double-A.
My question is why? Let's not forget, that even in a down year, Polanco hit 16 home runs. Those are 16 home runs that this lineup desperately needs in 2025. Williamson had just four homers at Double-A last season. Leo Rivas, Austin Shenton, Miles Mastrobuoni and Nick Dunn, other possible roster candidates, aren't hitting 16 home runs. They just aren't. Taking Polanco out of the lineup would cause a power-deficient lineup even more deficiencies.
And, with a healthier knee and a full year of experience at T-Mobile Park, isn't it reasonable to expect that Polanco could end up hitting more than 16 home runs. If he hits 20, isn't that a huge benefit to this lineup?
Beyond that, if he hits, let's say, .240 and brings in 70 runs instead of 45, isn't that a huge benefit to this lineup too? I understand that Polanco's first foray in Seattle wasn't what was expected, but with the help of the new hitting program, better health, more experience, and the fact that he isn't expected to carry the lineup, the upside is still there.
He just needs to get on the field. We haven't seen him in games yet as he recovers from that knee surgery, but he is working hard on the Peoria backfields. He should be close.
This was also a discussion on the latest edition of the "Refuse to Lose" podcast, which can be found here.
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