After re-signing Josh Naylor, the next step on the Mariners’ to-do list is a reunion with Jorge Polanco, with the intent of utilizing the veteran infielder as a second baseman and part-time DH. Seattle has also been linked to such second base trade targets as Brendan Donovan and old friend Ketel Marte, though the focus on the keystone is noteworthy. When it comes to checking in at the hot corner, the Seattle Times’ Adam Jude hears from sources that “the Mariners…are not active in the third-base market.”
While Eugenio Suarez is another ex-Mariner that remains on the team’s radar, Suarez seems to be the backup plan if Polanco doesn’t re-sign, and Jude writes that the M’s would utilize Suarez just as a part-time third baseman if the slugger ends up back in the Pacific Northwest. That decision seems logical, as Suarez’s public defensive metrics were subpar (-6 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Above Average) in 2025, as the Mariners have better fielders within the team’s collection of young infield talent.
This internal group is the reason why the M’s seem content to more or less stand pat at third base. Ben Williamson’s bat is a work in progress at best, but Williamson has a solid glove and can at least hold his own as a defender. Top prospect Colt Emerson has only six Triple-A games under his belt, but he’ll be a factor at some point for the Mariners in 2026, potentially as soon as Opening Day. Cole Young is another highly-regarded prospect who mostly played second base in his 2025 rookie season, and would presumably remain in a timeshare with Polanco and play second on the days when Polanco is a designated hitter.
The situation could be altered a bit if the Mariners acquired Donovan, a multi-positional player who could chip in at third base if necessary. But overall, Seattle is confident that its up-and-coming youngsters can help the team in 2026, so even while the M’s are in win-now mode, they aren’t looking to bring in too much veteran depth to block the internal options.
Jude adds the interesting detail that Scott Boras, Alex Bregman’s agent, “initiated discussions with the Mariners to express Bregman’s willingness to consider Seattle as a destination.” This isn’t an uncommon practice in baseball business, as agents routinely seek out any possible suitors that might be a fit for their clients. It doesn’t appear as though the M’s did much or anything to reciprocate this interest, both due to the Mariners’ in-house third basemen and likely Bregman’s expected price tag.