How Mariners can recover from Jorge Polanco's defection to Mets

2025 Little League Classic: Seattle Mariners v New York Mets | Daniel Shirey/GettyImagesAfter a pursuit that lasted a month and a half, the Mariners finally saw Jorge Polanco slip from their grasp on Saturday. He originally declined his $6 million player option to pursue bigger money in free agency and now that he has signed a $40 million contract with the Mets, it seems like betting on himself paid off.

To Seattle's credit, they were in it until the very end and the value of his new contract does seem a little steep for a player who had very different seasons over the past two years. Time will tell whether the front office made the right choice in standing firm on their lower asking price…