Copyright yardbarker
Last winter Jorge Polanco was passed over by every team after an uninspiring year in Seattle, which continued a trend of downward play. Without many other options, Polanco returned to the Mariners, where he slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 home runs and a 132 wRC+. Oh yeah, he also had a few of the biggest moments in Mariners postseason history. Funny how much can change in a year. Polanco is set to hit the market once again, now at 32 years old, hoping for a better fortune than last winter. After how impressive his 2025 campaign was, he is set to cash in and likely lock up a multi-year deal. Polanco’s 26 home runs were the second-highest of his career and only the third time he has topped the 20-home run threshold. His gap power has always been there, but he’s started to pull the ball in the air more, which has helped his power become more consistent in the last few seasons. The reason Polanco’s 2025 season was such a success? To put it simply, he made a lot more contact. His 86% zone contract rate was the highest it has been since 2021 while his 15.6% strikeout rate also was a drastic improvement from the mid-to-high 20% he posted the last few seasons. A switch-hitter with some pop, a plus eye for the zone, and a few changes that led to more contact should be intriguing to a number of teams. Although not a great defender, you can plug him in at second or third. Polanco falls into the category of a second-tier free agent. Not a big market’s “Plan A”, but good enough, and old enough, to make his contract term and money match with the type of deal small markets like to take advantage of. Free Agent Profile Age in 2026: 32 2025 Stats: .265/.326/.495, 26 HR, 78 RBI, 132 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR 2025 Salary: $10 million, $8 million player option in 2026 Contract Projection Contract Length: 1-3 Years Expected AAV: $10-16 million The $8 million player option does not come into play, in my opinion. After a year like Polanco had he will hit the market and try to snowball his performance into a multi-year deal and stability as he inches towards an eventual retirement. As I mentioned before, players like Polanco are a sweet spot for smaller market teams. His age and injury history will prevent him from landing the four-plus years we see younger players get, while his defense will also help lower the AAV. Teams with a more stacked lineup will view Polanco has a bottom third of the order bat to round out their team, while others might see him as the middle-of-the-order switch-hitter that helps to balance their lineup. Those teams are likely to give him the extra year of term while others might lean toward a higher AAV on a one- or two-year deal. In the end, I think Polanco will side with term. Stability is important, especially for a player who has dealt with injuries and has not had the contract that locks him up leading up to this offseason. Free Agent Landing Spots for Jorge Polanco Kansas City Royals The Royals have been pretty unsuccessful at find someone to play second base. Last offseason they traded for Jonathan India and now he’s looking like a possible non-tender candidate. With Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone looking to lead the next wave of young talent, this team needs a more proven veteran in their lineup. Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Maikel Garcia round out their core. Adding Polanco would give them a more steady presence at second while adding a switch-hitter into the middle of the lineup that could be pretty lefty heavy. Polanco would join Perez as the only regulars over 30 years old. The need for a veteran bat is a must and Polanco fits the type of money and term the Royals should be comfortable with. This would also force the Royals to quit trying to force Michael Massey into a starting role and allow him to be a utility/bench piece. I do think there’s enough talent on this team to sell Polanco on. He’s not exactly the “ring-chaser” type, but I would image going to a competitive team is on his wish list. Kansas City just feels like a natural fit here.
