The Twins traded infielder Jorge Polanco to the Seattle Mariners yesterday. And he left with a little bit of my baseball heart. For Jorge was my favorite current Twins player. Oh, I knew this day was coming. With the rise of Eddy Julien and the recurring injuries Polanco has suffered over the past couple of seasons, the writing was on the wall.
Such is the fate of the avid baseball fan. You know that someday, your favorite player will retire or get traded. That’s just the way it goes. I of course have been down this path before. I had to say my goodbyes to outfielder Eddie Rosario after the 2020 season. And going way back, I went through a tough withdrawal in 1979 when the Twins traded Rod Carew to the Angels. This was especially difficult as Rod is my favorite baseball player of all time.
Polanco as a Player
What was my fascination with Jorge Polanco? He was a tough, gritty, talented ballplayer who never said no to an assignment. He started off as an All-Star shortstop. Then they switched him to second base where he became one of the best at his position in all of baseball. And with the injuries to Royce Lewis last season, Polanco dutifully guarded the hot corner until Lewis’ return.
And Jorge Polanco was a talented ballplayer. Polanco’s best season was in 2021 after his switch to second base. That year he led the team in home runs, RBIs, runs scored, and stolen bases. His WAR for that year was a scintillating 4.9. At the end of the season, Jorge was awarded the team’s Most Valuable Player Diamond Award.
Polanco Trade
And a word on the trade. The Twins sent Polanco to the Mariners in exchange for starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani, reliever Justin Topa, and prospects Gabriel Gonzalez and Darren Bowen. DeSclafani will be penciled in as the team’s fifth starter, Topa will fill a key spot in the bullpen that was created when Emilio Pagan left for Cincinnati in free agency.
Gonzalez is a big hitting first-baseman/outfielder who now becomes one of the Twins’ top five prospects. Pitcher Bowen charts as a top thirty prospect for the team who has some upside as his fastball improves. Minnesota also received a boatload of cash in the trade. Management has stated that they would like to utilize this sudden influx of money to bolster the team’s first base/outfielder positions.
Thank You Jorge
Polanco was a consistent run producer for the Twins over the past six seasons. But he was also a trusted teammate, great clubhouse presence, and a stabilizing force for a team that is going through a youth movement. He will be missed. Thank you Jorge Polanco, for all of your contributions to the Minnesota Twins and their fans!
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