Seattle Mariners Manager Gives Positive Update on Switch-Hitter Jorge Polanco
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SEATTLE — Jorge Polanco's bounce-back season has been one of the best storylines to come from the first third of the year for the Seattle Mariners. But for most of this season, he's been limited.
The switch-hitting designated hitter has been unable to hit from the right side of the plate the majority of 2025, but Mariners coaches and executives have continued to reaffirmed that Polanco's limitation isn't a long-term concern.
Before Thursday's series finale against the Washington Nationals, Polanco was penciled in to bat seventh in the lineup against left-handed Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore.
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"I think he's at the point now where he's comfortable taking his right-handed at-bats," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a pregame interview Thursday. "He's back in there against a lefty, so glad to have him back in that capacity, for sure. Obviously something we'll continue to watch and monitor. But he's good to go."
Polanco has scored 18 runs this season and has hit six doubles, 10 home runs and 30 RBIs in 42 games entering Thursday. He's slashed .274/.327/.541 with an .868 OPS. He's missed 12 games this season due to a combination of scheduled off-days and an early-season stint on the paternity list.
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The few right-handed at-bats Polanco has had this year haven't been as fruitful as his left-handed ones. He's hit .250 (3-for-12) with a double and an RBI batting righty compared to .276 (34-for-123) with five doubles, 10 RBIs and 29 RBIs as a lefty.
Polanco has cooled down in May after a dominant April. He's slashed .145/.221/.226 with a .447 OPS and has hit one home run and five RBIs in 20 games in May.
If Polanco can maintain his switch-hitting, it could be a good sign he'll be able to heat up again heading into June.
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