Mariners Infielder Jorge Polanco took his 450th record performance of the 2025 season during the 10-2 victory of tonight at the Braves, and with that he unlocked a player option for the 2026 campaign. In November, Polanco now has the opportunity to return to free desk or stay at Seattle by picking up that option, which is worth $ 6 mm with a buy -out of $ 750k. He also unlocked an extra $ 500K of his stimuli that have been added to his salary for the 2025 season by reaching 450 record appearances tonight.
Polanco, 32, had rejected its $ 12mm club option by the Mariners the last season for a $ 750k buy -out after he underwent surgery to repair the patella tendon in his left knee as the last out of season. He stuck on the open market until February before he finally signed again at Seattle for a one-year-old deal who guarantees him $ 7.75 mm between his basic salary and the aforementioned buy-out about what was then a mutual option. He has played enough to not only deliver that option, but also to add $ 2.5 mm to his basic salary via plate sample, including the $ 500k he added today.
That success in terms of staying on the field is linked to a fairly strong production of the veteran. He cuts .257/.324/.473 on his 450 trips to the record after tonight’s game, good for a 125 WRC+ that would actually be the best attacking line of his career. He has crushed 23 Homers, his highest total since 2021, and has done this while he has only beaten 15.7% of the time. Only 29 qualified batters have a lower strikeout rate this year than Polanco, and only among that group Jose Ramirez” Cody BellingerAnd Kettle mars Have hit more home runs.
That combination of pop and contact would easily be enough to turn Polanco into a three-to-four win player if he regularly played the Infield, even despite his matte glove on the Infield. This year he mainly served as DH of Seattle. Part of it is due to his recovery of the knee operation of the last season outside the season and other daily disorders that he has treated throughout the year, and part of it is also due to the rise of the top perspective Cole Young On the second base and the club’s decision to act Eugenio Suarez To staff the hot corner. Whatever the reason is, Polanco has only 30 performances in the field (usually on second base, with short cameies on both first and third) this season, including only 26 starts.
Even without polanco playing the field very often, it seems likely that he will refuse his players’ option in favor of testing free desk. After all, Polanco received a greater guarantee than the decision of $ 5.25 mm that he will make the last season, and came from a season where he only hit .213/.296/.355 (92 WRC+) in 118 games. He seems to be doing a lot better this year. Gleyber Torres is the top name on the second basic market this year, with Willi Castro” Amed RosarioAnd Louse rengo Under a handful of utility types that are also planned this winter to hit the free desk. While names like Suarez, Alex BregmanAnd Bo Bichette Will steal the majority of the attention among Infielers, a well -suitable average switch such as Polanco should get a lot of interest, even if they are considered a DH. If it is seen as a DH, Polanco would probably participate Ryan O’Hearn And Marcell Ozuna Under the second layer options in the position behind the top Slugger Kyle Schwarber.
Although Polanco is apparently ready to refuse its option in favor of the free agency this winter, it should be noted that the option offers him some protection against an injury that would affect his market. That said, it should be noted that Polanco’s contract contains Seattle Language that would block his player option to start if he sustains a lower injury that would influence his availability before the start of the 2026 season. Even with that language that limits the scope of his injury protection, it is certainly a relief for Polanco to know that he has more or less guaranteed a contract for next season if he wants.
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