Former Seattle Mariners infielder and designated hitter is headed to New York, as the veteran switch-hitter has reached an agreement with the Mets, according to ESPN insider Jeff Passan. The deal, reported Saturday morning, is for two years and $40 million and will bring Polanco to Queens, where he is expected to split time between first base and designated hitter while providing a steady, middle-of-the-order bat for a Mets lineup that has been aggressively retooled.
Polanco’s move to the Mets comes on the heels of one of the most memorable and productive seasons of his career, particularly in high-leverage moments. After re-signing with Seattle on a one-year deal last winter, the 32-year-old delivered a resurgent campaign that played a major role in pushing the Mariners to the brink of a historic achievement. Seattle fell just one win short of its first-ever World Series appearance, and Polanco’s bat was at the center of many of the club’s most defining moments along the way.
During the 2025 regular season, Polanco appeared in 138 games for the Mariners and put together one of the strongest offensive lines of any infielder in the American League. He finished the year hitting .265 with an .821 OPS, collecting 30 doubles, 26 home runs, and 78 runs batted in. Beyond the surface-level numbers, Polanco consistently delivered when the pressure was at its highest, earning a reputation as one of baseball’s most reliable clutch hitters.
While his overall batting average dipped during Seattle’s postseason run, his impact was impossible to miss. Polanco hit just .208 in the playoffs, but that figure hardly tells the full story. He crushed three home runs and drove in eight runs during October, repeatedly coming through in moments that shifted the momentum of entire series. His postseason résumé included a pair of home runs in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. Later in that same series, Polanco delivered a walk-off single in Game 5, sending the Mariners deeper into the playoffs and igniting the home crowd.
His October heroics didn’t stop there. In Game 2 of the American League Championship Series, Polanco launched a go-ahead, three-run home run that once again underscored his knack for rising to the occasion. Even when he wasn’t posting gaudy overall numbers, Polanco found ways to make his hits count, solidifying his place as one of the defining figures of Seattle’s postseason push.
Statistically, Polanco’s dominance in high-leverage situations stood out across the entire league. He led all of Major League Baseball with a staggering 1.284 OPS and a 259 wRC+ in high-leverage at-bats, numbers that illustrate just how devastating he was when games were on the line. He also ranked second in the majors with a .438 batting average in those same pressure-packed moments, further cementing his reputation as a hitter opponents feared late in close games.
That performance made his decision to test free agency an easy one. Polanco had held a $6 million player option for the following season, which vested after he reached 450 plate appearances. At the time the option became guaranteed, it appeared to be a reasonable and potentially appealing choice for a veteran in his early 30s. However, by the end of the regular season—and especially after his postseason performance—it was clear that Polanco had significantly outperformed the value of that option. Turning it down in favor of free agency proved to be a wise move, ultimately leading to his lucrative deal with the Mets.
Polanco’s journey to this point has been anything but straightforward. Originally acquired by the Mariners in a trade during the 2024 offseason, his first year in Seattle was largely forgettable. That season, Polanco struggled mightily at the plate, batting just .213 across 118 games. It later emerged that he had been playing through a knee injury for much of the year, an issue that was not publicly disclosed until after the season ended. The injury clearly affected his performance and left some questioning whether his best days were behind him.
Despite those concerns, Seattle made the somewhat surprising decision to bring Polanco back on a one-year free-agent deal in February 2025. That gamble turned out to be one of the most important moves the organization made all year. Healthy and motivated, Polanco wasted no time making his presence felt. Over his first 24 games of the season, he was virtually unstoppable, slashing an eye-popping .394/.434/.816 with a 1.250 OPS. During that stretch, he launched nine home runs, doubled five times, and drove in 25 runs, instantly becoming the engine of the Mariners’ offense.
Polanco’s scorching start earned him American League Player of the Week honors in late April. Impressively, he accomplished much of that damage while operating under physical limitations. Early in the season, an oblique injury restricted him primarily to designated hitter duties, and he was largely limited to hitting exclusively from the left side of the plate. Even so, opposing pitchers had little answer for him as he carried Seattle through the season’s opening month.
Like most players, Polanco experienced some ups and downs as the year progressed. There were stretches when his timing was off and his production dipped, but he never stayed quiet for long. Once fully healthy in the second half of the season, he caught fire once again. Over his final 69 games, Polanco slashed .286/.351/.563 with a .914 OPS, adding 15 home runs, 21 doubles, and 40 RBIs during that span. He even logged occasional innings at second base, demonstrating enough defensive versatility to keep his bat in the lineup on a near-daily basis.
Before his two seasons in Seattle, Polanco had been a fixture in the Minnesota Twins organization for more than a decade. Signed as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2009, he worked his way through the Twins’ farm system and debuted in the majors in 2014. Over 10 seasons with Minnesota, Polanco established himself as a steady, switch-hitting infielder and enjoyed the best year of his career in 2019, when he earned his lone All-Star selection.
Across 12 major league seasons split between the Twins and Mariners, Polanco has appeared in 1,088 games and compiled a career batting average of .263 with a .771 OPS and 154 home runs. While he may not always be the flashiest name on the market, his consistency, experience, and ability to deliver in crucial moments have made him a valuable asset wherever he’s played.
For the Mets, Polanco represents another significant addition to a roster built to contend immediately. His ability to handle both first base and designated hitter gives New York flexibility, while his switch-hitting profile should fit seamlessly into the middle of their lineup. Just as importantly, his postseason résumé and reputation as a clutch performer bring a level of experience the Mets hope will pay dividends in October.
From Seattle’s perspective, Polanco’s departure removes one of the club’s top free-agent priorities from the board. The Mariners had strong interest in retaining him, but the market quickly pushed his price beyond what they were willing or able to pay. With Polanco now off the table, Seattle will need to pivot to other options as it looks to address its needs at second base, third base, or designated hitter.
That search is already underway. Earlier this week, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto told MLB Network that the Mariners were actively hoping to add another bat via free agency or trade in the near future. While Polanco was widely viewed as one of the best fits for that role, Dipoto and the front office now know they’ll have to find that offensive upgrade elsewhere.
As Polanco prepares for the next chapter of his career in New York, his time in Seattle will be remembered for far more than just the numbers. In a season defined by high stakes and historic moments, he delivered when it mattered most, etching his name into Mariners postseason lore. Now, with a fresh contract and a new stage in the Big Apple, Polanco will look to bring that same clutch pedigree to a Mets team with championship aspirations of its own.
