The idea sounds out there at first glance, but the Seattle Mariners may need to keep Jorge Polanco on the board as the August 3 trade deadline approaches.
There are mixed signals about what Seattle plans to do, but “something” feels a lot more likely than “nothing.” That’s the backdrop for Jim Bowden of The Athletic naming Polanco and right-hander Huascar Brazobán as the best trade fits for the Mariners.
Brazobán makes easy sense. Polanco is the one that makes you stop and look twice.
From the Mets’ side, though, moving Polanco is hardly a shocking notion. New York sits in last place in the NL East at 38-54, and that kind of record usually turns the deadline into a chance to cut losses. Polanco is also in the first year of a two-year, $40 million deal, which puts him in the same broad bucket as the kind of salary relief the Mets pursued with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer in 2023.
Polanco has barely been on the field this year, appearing in just 15 MLB games because of injuries. He was activated off the IL on Tuesday, so he’s healthy again, at least for the moment.
And Seattle has obvious history with him. Polanco was one of the heroes of the Mariners’ 2025 season, and he wanted to return before the Mets simply outbid Seattle for his services.
The fit, though, is where things get messy. Cole Young owns second base.
There isn’t much appetite for another round of Polanco at third base or first base. That leaves designated hitter as the only real landing spot, and that job belongs to Dominic Canzone.
Still, the Mariners have to decide whether the bat is worth the headache. They need another hitter, and they know what Polanco can look like when he’s healthy and locked in.
He’s historically been stronger from the left side as a switch-hitter, but he hit .305 with an .888 OBP as a righty last year. Seattle could use that version of him, especially with so few right-handed bats available on the market.
There’s also a bigger move lurking underneath the idea: a possible contract swap involving Luis Castillo. A “Who says no?” framework could look like this:
Castillo has $33.1 million left through 2027, while Polanco is owed $29.9 million. That would save the Mariners some money, and moving Castillo and Raley would create room for Kade Anderson in the rotation and for Polanco at DH, with Canzone able to shift to right field if healthy.
For the Mets, the return would be a workable innings-eater for the rest of 2026 and all of 2027, plus a left-handed bat who could step into Polanco’s DH spot. For a failed signing and a 36-year-old who was a journeyman not long ago, that’s a solid haul.
So yes, the Polanco reunion is a strange one. But it’s strange in a way that might actually make sense. It’s not something to bet the house on, but for Jerry Dipoto and the Mariners, it deserves to stay on the table.
In Other News...
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The Mariners are heading toward the 2026 MLB Draft with the No. 24 pick and, as usual, the expectation is that theyll lean pitching. Seattle has built a strong pipeline on the mound, and the general sense around the draft board is that a college arm still fits the clubs recent habits and its organizational strength. But theres also a little more wiggle room than people might expect, with the front office said to have a wide range of players in play as it sorts through a class that could shape the next wave of the roster.
What makes this one worth watching is the possibility that Seattle could finally use a first-round pick on a bat instead of defaulting to another pitcher. Recent mock drafts have linked the Mariners to college hitters Ace Reese and Ryder Helfrick, which would be a notable shift for a team that has spent years building from the mound outward. With the offense still carrying more long-term uncertainty than the pitching staff, the idea of adding another impact hitter to the system has at least become part of the conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A Bigger 2026 Draft Test Than Fans Realize
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Scott Hunter and the front office are staring at a draft that will ask them to keep replenishing the stock even without the kind of draft position or bonus flexibility that makes the job easier. With more prospects on the verge of forcing their way to Seattle, the challenge is no longer just finding talent, but finding enough of it to keep the system from getting stretched too thin. [Read more 🡒]
Randy Arozarena's Controversial Play Leaves Mariners Fans Torn
Randy Arozarenas decision not to chase a foul pop-up in a recent game stirred up plenty of reaction from Mariners fans, but the explanation has been more medical than emotional. Manager Dan Wilson pointed to Arozarenas hamstring as a limiting factor, and Arozarena said plainly that he did not get to the ball, a small moment that quickly turned into a bigger conversation about effort, health and what Seattle can reasonably expect from one of its most dynamic players.
The broader issue for the Mariners is that Arozarena is not dealing with this alone. Dominic Canzone is also working through a sore hamstring, which has complicated Seattles lineup flexibility and kept the club from using Arozarena in a different role to ease the strain. With both players compromised, the Mariners are trying to balance short-term competitiveness with the reality that these injuries can affect more than one play at a time. [Read more 🡒]