Seattle, WA
Jorge Polanco sends message to Seattle Mariners fans
Jorge Polanco won’t be back with the Seattle Mariners next season, but he left the club and its fan base heartfelt message after his signing with the New York Mets became official on Tuesday.
Morosi breaks down what could be next for Seattle Mariners’ offseason
Polanco, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Mets, posted the following to his Instagram page.
#Godfirst. I cannot express with words how grateful me and my family are for the belief YOU had in me. First you traded for me and then you signed me when everyone else doubted me after surgery. YOU made me feel wanted and loved and I will be forever grateful for that. I became a better player and person because of YOU. YOU embraced my wife, kids, and me as one of your own…again, I will be forever grateful for that. YOU were an inspiration for me every night and I just wish we could have delivered you the trophy YOU deserve. I will always cherish my time with YOU…I will never forget these last two years because of YOU.
YOU= Seattle Fans, Teammates, Trainers, Coaching Staff, Front Office, and Owner.
I will always smile thinking of YOU all.
Tridents UP!
Polanco was hindered by a knee issue and had a disappointing first season with the Mariners in 2024 after he was acquired in a trade that sent four players to Minnesota. But after coming back to the M’s on a one-year deal before the start of 2025, he had a resurgent campaign that helped key the club’s run its first American League West title and AL Championship Series appearance since 2001.
After posting career worsts with a .213 average and 29.2% strikeout rate in 2024, the 32-year-old second baseman and designated hitter batted .265 with an .821 OPS, 30 doubles, 26 home runs and 78 RBIs over 138 games in 2025. His strikeout rate dropped to 15.6%, marking the largest year-to-year dip in strikeout percentage in MLB history (minimum 450 plate appearances), per MLB.com’s Mike Petriello.
Polanco was extremely clutch for the Mariners all season long. He led the league with a 1.284 OPS and 259 wRC+ in high-leverage situations, and his .438 batting average was second.
That clutch hitting showed up in the postseason as well. Polanco homered twice off two-time reigning AL Cy Young-winner Tarik Skubal during Game 2 of the AL Division Series and delivered one of the biggest hits in Mariners history with a walk-off single in the 15th inning of their series-clinching Game 5 win. He also hit the go-ahead three-run homer in Seattle’s Game 2 ALCS win.
Polanco triggered a $6 million player option for 2026 by reaching 450 plate appearances in the regular season, but he declined the option to become a free agent. He was a top offseason target for Seattle before signing with New York.
More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage
• Donovan or Marte? Weighing Seattle Mariners’ 2B trade options
• Seattle Mariners sign backup catcher to one-year deal
• Seattle Mariners reportedly a front-runner for Cardinals’ Donovan
• Drayer: How Polanco’s departure impacts Seattle Mariners’ offseason
• Why Nolan Arenado could make sense as a Mariners trade target
Seattle, WA
Outreach groups respond to the reported relocation cycle of Ballard’s homeless population
SEATTLE — As people voice concerns about an encampment in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, outreach groups are detailing their efforts and fighting back against encampment removals.
The outreach group We Heart Seattle said it checks on the people in an encampment of at least 20 people weekly to offer water, snacks, personal hygiene items, and access to treatment.
RELATED | Ballard encampment grows after city removes nearby site along Burke-Gilman Trail
The group told KOMO it believes more can be done at the city level, from policy to housing, to get the homeless connected with shelter and services.
A woman working at the Fred Meyer off NW 45th Street and 9th Avenue captured video of a fire near tents at an encampment across the street. A day later, off camera, she told KOMO News she worries about the safety of the people living in the tents and Ballard neighbors, in addition to concerns about alleged open-air drug use at the encampment.
“We became homeless because of certain situations, and we turned to drugs, and unfortunately, addiction comes next, you know?” Crystal Rawlings told KOMO News. She has set up her tent on multiple streets in Ballard, and said she’s approaching one year of being opioid-free.
She believes there’s been more city outreach since the start of the new mayoral administration to connect people living on the streets with services, but knows there’s not enough transitional housing for everyone who needs or wants it.
She and the Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger urge the city to stop encampment removals that push this group to another block.
RELATED | City removes Ballard encampment as neighboring businesses raise housing concerns
“We’re not abominations. We’re not obstructions, and we’re not trash, so stop sweeping us,” Rawlings stated.
The city is still aiming to reach Mayor Katie Wilson’s goal of adding 1,000 new units of shelter in 2026 and recently opened a tiny home village in nearby Interbay, but fell short of the goal of 500 new units by June.
Andrea Suarez with We Heart Seattle estimates at least 20 people living on the street keep getting moved around Ballard, from behind the Albert Lee store to Leary Avenue to NW 45th Street behind the Fred Meyer.
“This encampment has people that’ve been homeless for more than five years. We know their names and faces. They’re still here. They’re still stuck in late-phase addiction, frankly because it’s permitted,” Suarez explained.
RELATED | Viral makeshift homeless shelter with chimney dismantled by Seattle city crews
She believes a camping ban on city sidewalks would help encourage more people to accept shelter, and help stop the cycle of moving people without
“It is an underserved community. I think it is unfair,” Suarez added. “We’ve tried to balance between enablement and really giving people a hand up, but without the teeth and backup for the work of outreach workers, it starts to feel futile, and that’s why we get burned out.”
The mayor’s office was working to send data about its homeless response in Ballard as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger estimates there have been nine Ballard-area encampment removals so far this year.
SEATTLE – Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington. Eastern and central Washington will reach near 100F with high fire danger. The coast and north interior will be cooler, only in the 60s to 70s.
Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington.
Fire Weather Watch
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds. Lightning strikes could create new fire starts and, with very dry conditions in place, any new fire could spread quickly.
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds.
What’s next:
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms. The heaviest showers will be in the morning hours and will turn more scattered into the evening hours.
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and chance of thunderstorms.
Looking Ahead:
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine. We will start to see highs reach the upper 80s to low 90s by early next week.
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the FOX 13 Seattle Weather Team and the National Weather Service.
After so many disappointing seasons with the interior offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks made a commitment last offseason to improve the unit. They started one big step at a time by drafting North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel in the first round, 18th overall pick, of the 2025 NFL Draft. This one was one of the last steps for the Seahawks to create one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.
Zabel wasn’t perfect in his rookie season, but he was good enough to validate the decision to draft him in the first round, and he showed improvement. Zabel is already a favorite among some Seahawks fans and some media outlets as they love his determination and spirit. It was a big jump from the FCS collegiate level to the NFL and this season, he has a chance to show why he might be a top-half-of-the-league guard.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Higher?
The Seahawks wanted a determined workhorse when looking for a guard. That’s exactly what they got in Zabel. Last season, he appeared in 1,051 snaps, which is only 10 fewer snaps than right tackle Abraham Lucas, who had the most offensive snaps. Zabel got better as the season progressed. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 81.5 and a run-block grade of 81.2 in Week 14 through the NFC Championship Game.
There were times last season when he looked like a monster against several defenders. He was pushing some defenders completely out of the way on pulling plays and even ran to defenders after the pass-catcher caught the ball. This is the mentality the Seahawks expect him to have going into his second season in the league. He has more experience and the complete trust of the team to be a franchise player on par with Lucas and left tackle Charles Cross. If he continues to improve, he will be another steal for the Seahawks.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Lower?
There were times last season when he didn’t quite catch up to the learning curve of the NFL. Zabel allowed two sacks, four hits and 24 pressures in 2025. The Seahawks expect those numbers to decrease significantly as he is experienced and capable of playing at an efficient level. While Zabel is impressive, he might not be the best player the Seahawks have selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. That honor belongs to slot cornerback Nick Emmanwori, who is stepping up to be the steal of the draft.
Zabel is easily one of the best second-year players and is one of the top offensive linemen, but there are players behind him because they haven’t proven to be consistently explosive for the Seahawks. There is going to be even more pressure on him this upcoming season. The Seahawks hired a more run-friendly coach in Brian Fleury as offensive coordinator. His ranking at the end of the season might be much better if he improves, or worse if he fails to reach expectations.
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