Mariners Playoff Hero Projected For Lucrative Two-Year Deal

Is this another necessary Mariners reunion?

Jun 5, 2022; Arlington, Texas, USA; A view of a Seattle Mariners batting helmet and logo during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

There are two fairly cut-and-dry decisions for the Seattle Mariners in free agency this season, and then a third, much murkier one.

Anything can still happen, but if we're reading the tea leaves, the Mariners are likely to aggressively pursue a reunion with first baseman Josh Naylor and let third baseman Eugenio Suárez leave without too much of a fight. That leaves second baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco squarely in the middle.

Polanco was subpar in year one with the Mariners, but excellent this year. Then, he became a hero in October, winning the Mariners their first division series in 24 years with a walk-off single. What does that mean, though, for his long-term future in Seattle?

Mariners' projected cost to keep Polanco

Oct 12, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (7) hits an RBI single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning during game one of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

As is often the case, that question could very well come down to dollars and cents.

On Friday, Adam Jude of the Seattle Times projected a two-year contract for Polanco, and at the price tag he believed it would cost, the insider urged the Mariners to pursue a reunion with the 32-year-old.

"(Polanco) is expected to decline a $6-million club option and enter free agency ahead of his age-32 season," Jude wrote. "He could seek a two-year deal in the $12-$14 million range and, like Naylor, he’s worth that to Seattle as a player who would split time between second base and designated hitter (and serve as the backup first baseman)."

Polanco gave the Mariners all they could have asked for this season, posting a career-high 134 OPS+ and double his wins above replacement from a year ago. But he gives them almost nothing on defense at this point in his career, and if his bat regresses much, he won't be a viable option at designated hitter.

If money was no object, it would be altogether wise to throw $24-to-28 million at Polanco and call it a day. But the Mariners are operating under some kind of a budget this winter, and depending on what that budget is and what it costs to keep Naylor, there's a chance Polanco could fall out of the picture.

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