The decision is no surprise. Polanco has had a great recovery season. He stepped to the plate 524 times and hit 26 home runs. His .265/.326/.495 batting line translated into a 132 wRC+, his best career full-season offensive performance.
It wasn’t a perfect season. Persistent knee problems kept him largely at the designated hitter spot, although he seemed to get healthier as the year went on. He made just 34 starts at second base, but most of those came after the All-Star break, including 15 in September.
He undoubtedly now has more earning power than a year ago, despite being a year older. The aforementioned knee issues limited him to just 118 games with a raw .213/.296/.355 slash line and 93 wRC+. In October he underwent knee surgery. Despite that poor performance and uncertain health status, the Mariners re-signed him to a one-year contract with $7.75 million guaranteed. That came in the form of a $7 million salary plus a $750,000 buyout on an $8 million mutual option. Polanco could parlay that into a $6 million player option with 450 plate appearances, which he could easily surpass.
His better platform season and improved health outlook should earn him a better deal, likely several years from now, so moving back a year and $6 million is an easy decision. The Mariners have an interest in bringing him back, but he will have other suitors and Seattle may prioritize one Josh Naylor meeting.
Photo courtesy of Jordan Godfree, Imagn Images
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