Back in November, former Minnesota Twins fan favorite Jorge Polanco had his $12 million option declined by the Seattle Mariners, which made him a free agent.
Polanco will turn 32 next season and will not be an expensive free-agent signing for any team. Given that Brooks Lee needs time to develop at second base, the Twins should bring back Polanco.
Last January, the Twins traded Polanco to the Mariners for Anthony Desclafani, Justin Topa, and minor-leaguers Darren Bowen and Gabriel Gonzalez. The trade ended Polanco’s ten-year tenure in the Twin Cities, where he was a 2019 All-Star selection. Unfortunately for Polanco, his performance in Seattle did not match what he produced in Minnesota.
Polanco posted a 93 OPS+ with the Mariners in 2024, his lowest in a full 162-game season since 2017. Polanco also finished with an OBP below .300 for the first time in his career, and his 137 strikeouts were a career-high.
Given his age and recent production, a free-agent contract for Polanco will not cost a hefty sum of money. Bringing back Polanco gives the Twins another option at second base. Eduardo Julien had a sophomore slump and posted poor defensive numbers at the second base position in 2024, such as a -6 DRS and a UZR of -2.9, according to FanGraphs. By signing Polanco, the Twins can move Julien to first base, a position he has previously played.
One downside to bringing back Polanco is that it takes away opportunities for highly-touted infield prospect Brooks Lee. Lee is projected to play second base in the long term, as Carlos Correa holds down the shortstop position and Royce Lewis is at third base. However, Lee has limited experience playing second base at the professional level, so he still needs work there.
Bringing back Polanco would be an inexpensive and safe option for the Twins. He returns to a team that he is comfortable with and provides Minnesota with depth at the second base position. Polanco’s potential return does not mean the Twins have given up on Lee, and if Lee outperforms Polanco, Polanco can be released.
Signing Polanco is a low-risk option for the Twins. One the team should strongly consider for next season.