Seattle, WA
How Polanco’s departure impacts Seattle Mariners’ offseason
The Seattle Mariners’ offseason will not be completed in a nice, neat, run-it-back bow, with reports Saturday morning that Jorge Polanco and the Mets are in agreement on a two-year, $40 million contract.
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The number was stunning, with most industry insiders estimating Polanco would be looking at something closer to $12-15 million per year. Even ESPN’s Jeff Passan, one of the few to estimate Polanco would receive above $15 million per year, was likely to be surprised Saturday morning.
“He’s not getting $20 million a year,” Passan told Seattle Sports’ Brock and Salk on Tuesday. “I think at the end of the day, it’s probably going to be $14-17 million a year. If there are two teams duking it out at the end, maybe it goes up a million a year. It looks like it is going to be a three-year deal, but something along the lines of three (years) for $45-50 (million). I think that’s about right.”
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The estimated $17 million salary sounded outrageous to the show hosts, but a lot can change this time of year, namely the Mets losing Pete Alonso to the Orioles. In comparison, Polanco is not exactly a splash after the loss of Alonso, but his versatility and offense when healthy (an .821 OPS in 2025) were attractive to the Mets.
Polanco going elsewhere was certainly a possibility – perhaps established as a good possibility when he failed to sign quickly, unlike the Mariners’ No. 1 target of the offseason, Josh Naylor. They were well aware of this with president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto recently admitting the odds were technically against them with numerous teams involved. The Mariners valued Polanco but were outbid by a team that needed to make a move. So they must move on.
While the Mariners remained engaged in talks with free agents this week, it is the trade market where the most attractive candidates reside, with the Cardinals expected to trade Brendan Donovan and the Diamondbacks making Ketel Marte available.
Donovan and Marte would be great fits on the field and on the salary spreadsheet for Seattle, but they would come at the cost of prospect capital with the Cardinals, and to a lesser extent Diamondbacks, dealing from a position of leverage.
The Cardinals do not have to deal Donovan, who has two years remaining under club control, but his value presents new president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom the opportunity to make a significant early organizational mark.
In the case of Marte, the leverage he brings the Diamondbacks is short-lived as he will become a 10-and-5 player in the first weeks of the season, meaning he will be able to veto any trades at that point.
Can the M’s give up what Arizona wants for a Ketel Marte trade?
On the free agent market, despite reports that agent Scott Boras reached out to the Mariners about third baseman Alex Bregman having some interest in the team, the big-ticket players appear to remain off limits for the Mariners. They have maintained that the door would be open for Eugenio Suárez in the right circumstances. Assuming that would be a one-year deal, that signing seems unlikely to happen. The remaining free agent infielders appear to be more stopgap options of the take-a-chance variety with names like Willi Castro, Luis Rengifo or even Adam Frazier available.
The loss of Polanco and his production at the plate put Dipoto and general manager Justin Hollander in the position where they are going to have to make a gamble. They have a track record of making trades that end up requiring lower-ranked prospects than expected. If that is not the norm this winter, then do they make that painful prospect trade, or trade a starter from the big league roster? Does ownership decide it can make a gamble in expanding the budget for a higher-priced free agent, or does it take the gamble of making smaller moves, essentially staying where they are, seeing how it plays out and attempting to make big moves at the trade deadline once again?
The Mariners and Mariners fans have just been hit with a large dose of uncertainty. In the uncertainty are opportunities, however, and the remainder of the offseason should not be quiet.
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With spring training wrapping up and opening day just a few days away, the Seattle Mariners continued to whittle down their roster on Sunday.
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The Mariners optioned catcher Jhonny Pereda, right-handed reliever Cole Wilcox and right-handed reliever Yosver Zulueta to Triple-A Tacoma. They also re-assigned first baseman/outfielder Connor Joe and infield prospect Brock Rodden to minor league camp.
The Mariners’ spring training roster is now at 31 players.
Pereda, 29, was acquired from the Minnesota Twins for cash in January. He was brought in to compete for Seattle’s backup catcher role, but Mariners insider Shannon Drayer reported earlier Sunday that veteran Mitch Garver will break camp as Cal Raleigh’s backup. Pereda batted .200 in 25 Cactus League at-bats this spring.
Wilcox, 26, flashed potential this spring after he was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays for cash last November. He struck out 11 batters across 8 1/3 innings in eight Cactus League appearances, while allowing four runs, six hits and four walks. Mariners manager Dan Wilson said earlier this month that “his stuff has been tremendous” and he “has opened some eyes.”
Zulueta, 28, struck out 10 batters across seven innings in eight Cactus League appearances, while allowing three runs, six hits and three walks. He was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in a January trade.
Joe, 33, signed a minor league contract with Seattle in February. The six-year MLB veteran had a strong spring, batting .362 with one home run, one triple and six doubles in 47 Cactus League at-bats.
Rodden, 25, is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Mariners’ No. 18 prospect. A 2023 fifth-round draft pick out of Wichita State, Rodden hit .361 with two homers, one triple and one double in 36 Cactus League at-bats.
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Seattle – March has been off to a very wet start. We have already surpassed the normal monthly rainfall total by an inch with more on the way next week. The atmospheric river event we were tracking wrapped up yesterday and our area rivers have crested and continue to recede. The rain also triggered a landslide on I-5 near Bellingham. Fortunately, the risk of additional landslides is also decreasing.
It’s been a wet start to the month with more than 5″ of rain already recorded so far.
We’ve enjoyed a pleasant, dry first weekend of Spring. Much of Sunday is also expected to be dry. A weak system is forecast to brush by which may bring a few sprinkles with it to a few spots. A few stray flurries are also possible in the mountains.
The much-needed break in rain will continue. Only a stray shower is possible on Sunday.
The cold front which swept through yesterday, ending the days-long rain, also brought some cooler air with it. Afternoon highs will remain slightly below normal on Sunday.
Highs near normal on Sunday with some afternoon sunbreaks.
While Sunday and Monday remain mostly dry, a more significant weather system is expected to move into the region on Tuesday, bringing widespread rain to the lowlands and snow to the mountain passes along with breezy winds.
Increasing clouds Monday with rain returning by Tuesday. Snow in the mountains.
PEORIA, Ariz. – Seattle Mariners camp has been a flurry of activity since the return of the last group of players from the World Baseball Classic. There have been innings and at-bats to be found, schedules and lineups scrambled, whatever it takes to get in the work they need for what in just a few short days will be the 26-man roster.
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Somewhere amongst that flurry of activity, a long-awaited conversation was had, according to Randy Arozarena.
About about two hours before the Mariners’ Cactus League game against the Chicago Cubs on Saturday night, Arozarena put out a statement via the team that addressed the WBC incident between him and teammate Cal Raleigh.
“I understand that with Opening Day a few days away, I don’t want it to be a distraction,” Arozarena said. “Cal and I have talked and I apologized for what I said after the game. Nothing in the WBC takes away from the fact that we are brothers and teammates. He’s family, and we are both focused on helping the Mariners win the World Series.”
The statement echoes much of the sentiment of Raleigh’s comments to members of the Seattle media the morning after he refused Arozarena’s handshake in the March 9 WBC game between the United States and Mexico, which prompted postgame comments from Arozarena that spurred unwanted attention on the Mariners.
“I love Randy,” Raleigh said back on March 10. “I have all the respect for him and Team Mexico. I already reached out to him personally to talk with him. And obviously, when we’re back in Seattle, we’re family, we’re brothers, and I’ll do anything for him. I’ll do anything for our team to win.”
Neither player would want anything within their control to put achieving the Mariners’ lofty goals they have set this season in jeopardy. It is likely those words alone from Arozarena would have helped close the door on the incident. The fact he said he apologized to Raleigh for his comments at the WBC in Houston hopefully helps lock that door and put the focus back on what happens on the field, as has been the case with the players in Peoria all along.
An unpleasant sidenote to the WBC should not be a season-changing episode for a team that has put itself in the position the Mariners have.
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