SEATTLE – The Mariners have lost their top remaining priority this offseason.
The Mets have outbid the Mariners for free agent Jorge Polanco, who has agreed to a two-year, $40-million deal to leave for New York, sources told the Times early Saturday.
Seattle was Polanco’s No. 1 choice and he was “very torn” on the decision, but ultimately chose the best deal.
The Mariners had also offered a two-year deal, but did not match the Mets’ offer. The Mariners’ exact dollar figure is not known, but their final offer was described as “very competitive” with the Mets’ offer, a source said.
The Mets, backed by the wealthiest owner in baseball, Steve Cohen, needed to make a move after losing both their longtime first baseman, Pete Alonso, to the Baltimore Orioles and their star closer, Edwin Díaz, to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week.
The switch-hitting Polanco, 32, is expected to play first base and DH for the Mets.
The Mariners made it known they wanted to recast as many of the characters from their run to the American League Championship Series this year.
Their top priority was to re-sign first baseman Josh Naylor, and they checked that off early in the offseason with a five-year, $92.5-million deal.
Next they turned their attention to Polanco, who had initially asked for a four-year deal coming off a career-best season in Seattle, posting a 134 OPS+ (100 is league average) with 26 homers, an .821 OPS and a 2.6 bWAR.
It was Polanco’s walkoff single in the 15th inning that drove in the winning run in Game 5 of the ALDS against Detroit and sent the Mariners to their first ALCS since 2001.
The Mariners had hoped to bring Polanco back in 2026 to split time between second base and DH.
That plan worked well to keep Polanco healthy this year.
After 10 years playing in Minnesota, Polanco spent an injury-ravaged first season in Seattle in 2024, when he appeared in 118 games and hit .213 with 16 homers and a 92 OPS+.
He settled for a one-year, $7.75-million deal to re-sign with the Mariners last winter, when he was coming off major knee surgery.
He declined a $6-million option to start this offseason, and he parlayed his strong bounce-back season into a nice $40-million payday from the Mets.
Regardless of whether Polanco returned to Seattle in 2026, the Mariners had planned all along to give several young infielders – Cole Young, Ben Williamson, Colt Emerson, namely – a chance to win regular roles in spring training.
The M’s still want a veteran hitter to complement that young core, and they still have a significant hole at DH.
Brendan Donovan, a second baseman/utility player with the St. Louis Cardinals, has been the Mariners’ top trade target, and he would appear to be an even greater priority now with Polanco’s departure.
The Cardinals, as of early this week, had yet to engage in talks for Donovan, sources said, though it’s widely believed that they will eventually be open to trading him.
Donovan, entering his age-29 season, has two years of club control remaining, and with a projected $5.4 million salary for 2026, his number fits nicely into the Mariners’ tight budget.
The Mariners have also been linked to Arizona’s Ketel Marte, the best second baseman in baseball the past two seasons.
The Diamondbacks are reportedly seeking one established starting pitcher in trade talks for Marte, plus two other significant pieces.
Marte, 32, is owed $102.5 million through his age-37 season, and it appears unlikely that the Mariners would be willing to meet both the Diamondbacks’ asking price and that contract guarantee for a player who drew criticism from teammates this year.