This past weekend, He logged his 450th plate appearance of the 2025 season — a seemingly small milestone with big implications for his future with the Seattle Mariners.
When He signed a one-year, \$7.75 million contract in February, it included a \$6 million player option for 2026 that would automatically vest once he reached 450 plate appearances.
With that threshold now met, Polanco will have the choice to decide his next move this offseason.
It’s up to Jorge Polanco whether to return to the Mariners in 2026
He could stick around in Seattle, the club that gave him a fresh start after a rough 2024 season, but it’s more likely he’ll explore free agency given how well he’s performed this year.
Polanco is slashing .258/.323/.479 with an .802 OPS and a 128 OPS+, both career bests. On a roster full of players chasing big milestones, he’s quietly putting together his finest season.
The 31-year-old has 24 homers (second-most in his career), 66 RBI, 18 doubles, and has been worth 1.9 bWAR while serving mainly as the Mariners’ DH.
With his production, there will almost certainly be teams willing to offer more than the \$6 million he’d get by exercising his 2026 player option. If he declines, he still collects a \$750,000 buyout.
Teams are always in search of quality bats, and Polanco’s career 111 OPS+ shows he’s consistently been above average, recently surpassing 20 career bWAR as well.
Unless he has a strong desire to stay in Seattle and with his teammates, odds are high he’ll turn down the option and sign elsewhere—leaving the Mariners to address DH along with their upcoming infield openings.
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