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The Seattle Mariners and Minnesota Twins swung one of the bigger trades of the offseason recently, a deal that sent veteran middle infielder Jorge Polanco to the Mariners in exchange for outfield prospect Gabriel Gonzalez, reliever Justin Topa, right-hander Anthony DeSclafani, and minor league pitcher Darren Bowen.
The Twins have been aiming to cut payroll this offseason, and the Mariners were seeking an upgrade at second base after trading Jose Caballero to the Rays in exchange for outfielder/first baseman Luke Raley earlier in January. Both clubs seemingly solved their need with this swap.
However, does a move to the Mariners and the more difficult AL West affect Polanco's fantasy baseball value? Let's dive in and find out!
Does Jorge Polanco's Fantasy Baseball Value Change With The Mariners?
From a player and team perspective, Polanco simply slips into an everyday spot at second base in 2024. At least that is what the club is hoping for, but it's worth keeping in mind that the 30-year-old has missed 140 games over the last season due to a knee issue. That said, he was a full-time, healthy player from 2019-2021.
The more pressing question for fantasy managers is what the move does or doesn't do to his fantasy baseball value.
Despite the recent knee problems, Polanco has remained productive when healthy. He hit .255 with 14 home runs, four stolen bases, and a .789 OPS across just 80 games and 343 plate appearances in 2023. He also posted a .786 OPS with 14 home runs in 75 games in the first half of 2022 before his knee injury occurred. He slumped to a .208 average with only two home runs while appearing in just 29 contests following the All-Star break.
The fact that Polanco has been very good when on the field bodes well for his fantasy outlook. He posted an .817 OPS in the second half of 2023 following a six-week stint on the injured list. His bat was 28% superior to the league average in that time, as per his 128 wRC+.
Still just 30 years of age, Polanco has had as many as 33 home runs, 107 runs, 98 RBI, and 13 stolen bases in his big-league career. Despite some stiffer pitching competition in the AL West, Polanco's 270.21 ADP as the 25th second baseman off the board appears vastly undervalued.
With a full, healthy offseason of training (versus rehab last offseason), Polanco could once again become one of the premier second-base fantasy producers in 2024 and appears to be a potential steal at his prevailing ADP.
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