Seattle Mariners trade for Jorge Polanco to boost lineup

The Seattle Mariners give up a significant package highlighted by Justin Topa, in return for securing one of their main offseason targets.

After plenty of rumblings, the Seattle Mariners officially confirmed on Monday that they had acquired Jorge Polanco from the Minnesota Twins. The return package is perceived in some corners as a hefty price to pay, alluding to how eager the front office was to complete the trade.

In return for Polanco, the Twins receive Anthony DeSclafani and Justin Topa, as well as minor leaguers Gabriel Gonzalez and Darren Bowen. They also included cash considerations in the form of $8 million, to cover two-thirds of DeSclafani’s salary for the upcoming 2024 season.

There is no denying Polanco is capable of providing an excellent boost to an offence which was the weakest link for the Mariners last season. He is projected to take over as the starting second baseman and hit third in the lineup.

There is some concern about the 2019 All-Star’s durability, after he was limited to 80 games last season due to a couple of left hamstring strains. The year before he missed 58 games.

However, when Polanco is healthy and in form he’s an excellent bat, helped further by being a switch-hitter. As recently as 2021, he had career highs of 33 home runs and 98 RBI, as well as his best ever qualifying slugging percentage and OPS+, at .503 percent and 125+ respectively.

In terms of being healthy and in form, consider that last season saw the 30-year-old finish in a flurry after putting his hamstring woes behind him. More specifically, he produced six home runs, 19 RBI and a .878 OPS over the final 25 games of his 2023 campaign.

Overall, Polanco had a .789 OPS on the season. This is significant, because the second base position produced a .607 OPS for the Mariners in 2023; assuming he’s healthy, he’s going to help the Mariners improve offensively.

Also good defensively

The Dominican Republic native is an excellent defender who is also sure-handed, as evidenced by his career .976 fielding percentage at second base. However he also offers some versatility if needed, having previously mostly played at short stop, but also seen time at third base. (He can also play DH.)

Salary-wise, Polanco will earn $10.5 million in 2024, which is a reasonable price for what can be considered an upgrade at second base. There is a club option of $12 million for 2025, which comes with a buyout of $750,000.

For what it’s worth, Polanco already has a link with the Mariners due to working out at the same facility as Julio Rodriguez during the offseason. Speaking about the trade, executive vice president and general manager of baseball operations Justin Hollander said:

“From the beginning of this offseason, Jorge was someone we identified as a perfect fit for our roster. As a switch hitter with a long track record of success, he’s also renowned around the league for his work ethic and leadership skills. We’re thrilled at the opportunity to add such an impactful presence to both our lineup and clubhouse.”

With Polanco taking over as the starting second baseman, Josh Rojas will now move over to third base. However, while projected as the starter, he will likely share playing time with Luis Urías, meaning he can also still providing backup for his replacement at second base as and when required.

Topa a big loss for the Seattle Mariners

Of all the players going to Minnesota, Topa is the most significant loss. The bullpen arguably needed strengthening anyway, and even more so now that the 32-year-old has left.

Topa had a breakout year during his only season in Seattle, as he pitched in 75 games and proved to be an excellent reliever for the Mariners. He produced a 2.61 ERA, 155 ERA+, 3.15 FIP and 1.145 WHIP in 69.0 combined innings.

DeSclafani was acquired from the San Francisco Giants along with Mitch Haniger and cash considerations, as part of the deal which saw Robbie Ray head in the opposite direction. The righty has pitched nine seasons in the Majors, producing a 4.20 ERA, 4.16 FIP and 1.268 WHIP in the process.

Outfielder Gonzalez was ranked by Baseball America as the Mariners’ fifth best prospect, while MLB Pipeline placed him 79th overall among all Minor League prospects. Bowen produced a 4-2 record in 19 games (including 15 starts) during his first year as a professional, producing a 4.37 ERA and 1.096 WHIP in 55.2 combined innings.

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Seattle Mariners also trade for Samad Taylor

In other news, the Mariners also acquired Samad Taylor on Tuesday. In exchange, the Kansas City Royals will either receive a player to be named later or cash considerations.

With the addition of Taylor, the Mariners’ 40-man roster is now full. Selected in the 10th round of the 2016 draft, he made his Major League debut last season.

The 25-year-old’s number one asset is arguably his speed, with him going 8-for-8 in stolen base attempts for the Royals. Prior to his promotion in June, he stole 43 bases in Triple-A on 53 attempts.

Taylor made an immediate impression in his Major League debut, as he hit a walk-off RBI to beat the Los Angeles Angels. Overall though he still has quite a way to go, as evidenced by a .200 batting average and .546 OPS in 60 at-bats over 31 games.

The Corona, California native does offer the type of defensive versatility general manager Jerry Dipoto loves. With the Royals, he saw playing time at second and third base, as well as in left and center field.

What is your opinion of the trade for Polanco and what the Seattle Mariners gave up in return? Is he worth it, or are you concerned about his injury issues? Let us know in the comments section below.