Seattle Mariners Exec Jerry Dipoto Gives Updates, Compliments Jorge Polanco
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One of the best storylines for the Seattle Mariners through the first 34 games of the season has been the resurgent season of infielder/designated hitter Jorge Polanco.
The 2019 All-Star was brought back by the Mariners on a one-year, $7.75 million contract. He had offseason knee surgery to repair a damaged patellar tendon in his left knee. Polanco has received scheduled days off due to maintain his health and had a brief stint on the paternity list.
Polanco has scored 15 runs and has hit five doubles, nine home runs and 27 RBIs in 26 games this season. He's slashed .369/.407/.750 with a 1.157 OPS. He was named the American League Player of The Week earlier this season. He and Dylan Moore, who won it the week before Polanco, became the first Seattle hitters to win the award in back-to-back seasons since Ken Griffey Jr. and Alex Rodriguez in 1998.
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The switch-hitter has accomplished this while being limited to the left side of the plate. He hasn't hit right-handed for most of the year due to soreness in his side and knee. But he may be nearing full strength.
Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto discussed Polanco's season in an episode of "The Wheelhouse Podcast With Jerry Dipoto" that released May 3. Dipoto gave a positive update on Polanco while also discussing adjustments he's made this season.
"He's made big adjustments in dealing with the breaking ball," Dipoto said. "He's been considerably better against the change-up from both sides of the plate. We haven't seen him hit right-handed in a while. I think we're getting to the point now where we're ready to get back to that and start seeing some more right-handed (at-bats). Last year he was really susceptible. Back-and-forth. And the more we're around him, the more we're starting to understand that he's not a guy that complains much. He shows up every day, he plays hard, he's pretty quiet and goes about his business. He was really banged up last year. And to his credit, he just kept his head down and kept trying to grind his way through it."
Polanco is an the early-season candidate for Comeback Player of The Year and a dark horse MVP candidate. And he could maintain his trajectory when he's back at full strength.
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