Subscribe
Follow Us
Aside from a thrilling, drought-ending trip to the 2022 MLB playoffs, the Seattle Mariners and their fans have spent much of the last few years as occupants of the Heartbreak Hotel. The same issues plague them during the regular season, leaving them with no other travel options except for a place that resides near a decent golf course. President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto tried to improve the team's notoriously feeble lineup while also keeping payroll at a fairly low number (around $148 million).
One of the main players entrusted to execute this halfway-in approach was former All-Star infielder Jorge Polanco, who endured arguably the worst year of his big-league career. Naturally, health was a contributing factor to his woeful first and possibly only season in Seattle. He is hoping to come back strong in 2025, however.
The 31-year-old native of the Dominican Republic underwent left knee surgery but plans to be good to go for the start of spring training, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan. Injuries continue to hinder Polanco, resulting in him playing just 302 regular season games in the last three years. With this latest procedure, perhaps he can more closely resemble the slugger who helped the Minnesota Twins win a few divisional titles.
Jorge Polanco will look to put dreadful 2024 season behind him
The veteran second baseman batted a measly .213 with an alarming 137 strikeouts in 118 games. On the bright side, he still possesses ample power (16 home runs). A rejuvenated Jorge Polanco is unlikely to be much of an asset in the field, but his bat could be a boost to the Mariners, or wherever he winds up next year.
Polanco has a $12 million club option on his contract for the 2025 campaign. Seattle may not be willing to make such a gamble on an athlete who is on the wrong side of 30 and carries a concerning amount of wear and tear on his body. Regardless of what Dipoto and the organization decide this winter, they must finally solve the franchise's ongoing offensive failures.
Mariners have another crucial offseason ahead
Only the Chicago White Sox, the worst team in modern MLB history, posted a worse batting average than the Mariners' .224 mark. Neither Randy Arozarena, Mitch Garver nor Jorge Polanco or the returning Mitch Haniger were able to cure the ailing lineup. Now, the M's are at a crossroads that they have had plenty of time to avoid.
Since former manager Scott Servais was shown the door in August, the next individual who would likely be held accountable for further shortcomings will probably be Jerry Dipoto, considering majority owner John W. Stanton is not in danger of losing his power. Management intends to retain its top-notch starting pitching rotation, so it might need to spend money in free agency if it wants to significantly improve the offense.
No matter how it is achieved, 2025 must definitively mark a new era of Mariners baseball. The present is undeniably better than the decade that preceded it, but the city is starving for postseason success. It is long past time to satisfy the fan base's appetite.
Will a healthier Jorge Polanco be equipped to help fulfill this identity-changing objective? We shall see.
