Aug 13, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco (7) throws to first for an out during the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Mariners' Jorge Polanco Replacement Plan Doesn't Sound Promising

Originally posted on Fastball on SI | By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Nov 5, 2025 4:01 PM ET

Jorge Polanco is, unsurprisingly, a free agent. How invested are the Seattle Mariners in bringing him back?

Polanco sits somewhere in the middle of the Mariners' list of offseason priorities, somewhere between re-signing Josh Naylor (urgent) and Eugenio Suárez (not so urgent). He declined his half of a $6 million mutual option on Tuesday and will receive a $750,000 buyout, according to Daniel Kramer of MLB.com.

If the Mariners' internal options are their only plans to replace Polanco, however, the urgency to re-sign him should increase significantly.

Mariners might depend on Cole Young if Polanco leaves

Kramer wrote Wednesday that if Polanco leaves, the most likely candidate to take his job at second base is 22-year-old Cole Young, who played 77 games this year as a rookie, and struggled so much that he wasn't included on the playoff roster.

"The Mariners do have a few prospects who could be allocated towards those voids," wrote Kramer. "Second baseman Cole Young flashed a few promising moments after making his MLB debut on May 31, though he struggled mightily down the stretch to the point where the Mariners shifted Polanco from a hybrid DH role into their primary second baseman.

"Young will be in the mix at the position this Spring Training, but having Polanco back as a bridge could certainly be a benefit."

Young was the Mariners' first-round pick in 2022, but it simply doesn't appear that his bat is ready to play every day. And the Mariners have to operate with urgency after making it within a win of the World Series, which means they shouldn't be eager to let youngsters take their lumps at the big-league level.

If Polanco re-enters the picture, though, giving Young a chance to earn the starting job and shifting Polanco into the designated hitter role as the youngster gains more confidence could work out perfectly for Seattle. It remains to be seen if Polanco, who isn't close to retirement age and likely wants a chance to prove he's not a DH only, would be amenable.

We don't yet know what it will take to bring Polanco back, but if it's within Seattle's budget, it's a very worthy objective.

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This article first appeared on Fastball on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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