Jorge Polanco’s first season after signing with the team has been nothing short of a total bust, capped by president of baseball operations David Stearns admitting that the veteran slugger’s defensive future is “a little TBD, unfortunately.” This is a huge problem, especially after he was brought in to be the everyday first baseman. The guy appeared in just 37 games, slashing a brutal .148/.201/.230 with an OPS of .431. You don’t have to be a stat-head to know those numbers are rough.
Injuries Tank Polanco’s First Season, Leave Big Questions
Man, it’s just a gut punch to see how Polanco’s year went down. He was supposed to be a key everyday player, but injuries just completely derailed everything. We’re talking a right wrist contusion AND left ankle bursitis that eventually took him out for the entire season. After he had surgery to fix that ankle, Stearns didn’t sugarcoat it. He said flat out, “Clearly, it did not work out the way we anticipated this year.” That’s an understatement. The hopeful part? Stearns did say Polanco “is going to work incredibly hard to do everything in his power to be a good player for us next year.” We’d better hope so, because out of his 36 appearances this year, he only played first base three times, starting just twice. That’s a far cry from “everyday first baseman.”
Young Steps Up Big, Semien’s Bat Still Lagging
While Polanco was sidelined, Jared Young absolutely seized his opportunity. The 31-year-old has finally gotten real big-league playing time, and he’s made it count. In 91 games, Young put up a .265/.324/.434 slash line with a .758 OPS, along with eight dingers and 35 RBI. Stearns is seeing it too, saying, “This is a good hitter… He’s done it for a prolonged stretch now. We think it’s real.” You love to see a guy get his shot and deliver like that, especially when the team needed it.
On the flip side, Marcus Semien, another big offseason acquisition, hasn’t brought the offensive punch we hoped for. Stearns traded Brandon Nimmo for Semien, publicly saying the move was for defensive purposes, which is good because Semien’s bat has continued its year-over-year dip, hitting what’s arguably a new low this season. Stearns still believes Semien can provide offense and offers more than stats to the clubhouse, calling him “one of those steadying forces.” But man, you still need hits, right?
With the series opener against the Giants now in the books, the focus shifts to how the team navigates the rest of the season. Polanco’s recovery and the team’s plans for his role next year are going to be a huge storyline to follow, no doubt.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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