(Seattle) The Seattle Mariners acquired second baseman Jorge Polanco on Monday, giving the Minnesota Twins pitchers Anthony DeSclafani, Justin Topa and Darren Bowen, outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and ‘money.
Aged 30, Polanco has become a good bargaining chip for the Twins due to the emergence of Quebecer Édouard Julien.
With uncertainty surrounding their regional broadcast revenue, the Twins also decreased their payroll with this transaction. Polanco must receive a salary of 10.5 million US dollars in 2024 and his contract includes an option which his team can take advantage of in 2025 for the sum of 12 million.
Polanco returned to action following a knee injury in 2023, posting a .255 batting average with 14 home runs in 80 games. He mainly worked at second base, but was also moved to third base at times to allow Julien to play.
With 112 long balls, Polanco is the most prolific ambidextrous hitter in Twins history. He has played his entire career with the Twins thus far, boasting a .269 average in 832 games.
Julien, 24, hit .263 in 109 games in his first campaign in major league baseball. He hit 16 home runs, produced 37 runs and touched the plate 60 times.
DeSclafani, 33, had a 4.88 ERA in 18 starts with the San Francisco Giants in 2023.
Topa, for his part, showed a 2.61 average in 75 games, all in relief, with the Mariners. He made three saves.