The Mariners on Friday declined their $12MM membership choice on second baseman Jorge Polanco, per a staff announcement. He’ll be paid a $750K buyout and develop into a free agent. The M’s additionally introduced that infielder Luis Urias went unclaimed on outright waivers and elected free company. Their 40-man roster is at present at 36 gamers.
Seattle acquired the switch-hitting Polanco from the Twins final offseason in a commerce sending reliever Justin Topa, veteran righty Anthony DeSclafani, prospects Gabriel Gonzalez and Darren Bowen, and money again to Minnesota. The hope on the time was that the regular Polanco would solidify what had been a revolving door at second base for 2 seasons in Seattle. As an alternative, Polanco turned the newest notable veteran to reach in Seattle and see his offensive manufacturing unexpectedly decline in swift style.
Polanco hit .270/.338/.455 in practically 2700 plate appearances with the Twins from 2018-23, solely as soon as posting below-average offense in a season (2020). He’d incurred some harm troubles within the two years instantly previous the swap however was coming into his age-30 season. There was little motive to anticipate a steep decline on the plate, however that’s precisely what performed out. Polanco, a 2019 All-Star, acquired out to an terrible .197/.285/.298 slash by way of the primary three months of the season. He picked up the tempo significantly in July, however by that time there was little salvaging his season. He wound up with career-lows in batting common (.213) and on-base proportion (.298). His .355 slugging proportion was precisely one level larger than his career-worst .354 from that shortened 2020 season.
The career-worst displaying on the plate for Polanco was a minimum of partly because of knee troubles. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported a pair weeks again that Polanco was slated to endure surgical procedure to restore the patellar tendon in his left knee. That’s the identical knee that landed Polanco on the injured listing for the ultimate month of the 2022 season and for the primary three weeks of the 2023 marketing campaign. Relying on the extent to which the harm has been nagging him, it’s definitely potential {that a} more healthy Polanco might return to kind in brief order subsequent season. It’s not but clear precisely how lengthy he’ll must get well, but when Polanco is predicted again on time for Opening Day 2025, he must command a one-year take care of incentives this offseason.
As for Urias, that is the second time the Mariners handed him by way of waivers. He accepted an outright project final time round, as electing free company following his midseason outright would’ve required forfeiting the rest of his wage. He’s not on a assured deal, nonetheless, and was arbitration-eligible — with a projected $5MM wage (by way of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz). The M’s have been by no means more likely to pay that worth a second time, leaving Urias as one of many extra clear-cut non-tender candidates within the league. Immediately’s outright is tantamount to non-tendering him a pair weeks forward of the deadline to take action.
Urias, 27, was one of many high prospects in baseball throughout his minor league days with the Padres. He had a pair of stable seasons following a commerce to the Brewers, hitting a mixed .244/.340/.426 in 2021-22. Nonetheless, Urias’ manufacturing tanked with a .194/.337/.299 slash in 2023, and he wasn’t in a position to get again on observe in 2024, hitting solely .191/.303/.394. He’s able to taking part in a number of infield spots however is best suited at second and third base than at shortstop. A staff searching for a right-handed utility infielder might look to Urias on a minor league deal or maybe a low-cost one-year pact with some incentives baked in.