Jorge Polanco's epic Mariners playoff run has a nightmare alternate reality

The Seattle Mariners are just two wins shy of making it to the World Series for the first time in their history, so it goes without saying that their season has defied expectations. That general theme is perfectly personified in Jorge Polanco, who seemingly can't not make big hits happen.

Which brings us to a question that'll scare the proverbial willies out of everyone in the Pacific Northwest: Did you know Polanco could have been a Houston Astro?

This is not new knowledge, to be fair. The Astros' near-miss on Polanco was reported in tandem with the news of him reaching a one-year, $7.75 million contract with the Mariners in January. The Astros planned to play him at second base, but he instead opted for third base (and familiarity) in choosing to return to Seattle after spending the 2024 season there.

It's not lost on the Mariners that Jorge Polanco was almost an Astro

And yet, what could have been is very much on the mind of Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, who had this to say to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times about how Polanco was almost an Astro:

"I have expressed that thought a couple different times this year. I would be really despondent right now if we had traded for Polo going into the 2024 season, watched him battle injuries and really fight through the toughest year of his career and then watch him bounce back like this for the Astros. This year would have been devastating for us in the front office."

Justin Hollander to Ryan Divish

The Astros have every reason to regret missing out on Polanco, as their second basemen posted an 83 wRC+ and 20 home runs while he ripped off a 132 wRC+ and 26 home runs. If they'd had him at the keystone while the Mariners had [waves hands] someone else in his spot in the lineup, it's conceivable that it would have been the Astros and not the Mariners who won the AL West.

It is likewise conceivable, of course, that the damage Polanco is doing in the playoffs — i.e., three homers and a seemingly endless supply of go-ahead runs batted in — would have also been to the benefit of the Astros. Perhaps it would be them on the doorstep of the World Series, with the main difference in narrative being that they would be adding to their dynasty rather than hopefully building one like the Mariners.

As Divish notes, the Mariners were able to win the Polanco sweepstakes over the Astros and New York Yankees because they made the best offer. But Polanco also wanted to be back in Seattle, where he had gotten close with Julio Rodríguez, Luis Castillo and Randy Arozarena.

Once Polanco signed, there frankly weren't high expectations for him in his second year in Seattle. Not after he had only managed a .651 OPS in 2024. Not after he'd also had offseason knee surgery. And certainly not given that he would turn 32 years old on July 5.

Cut to now, though, and Polanco is so revered that his fellow hitters refer to him as "George Bonds." It's one of many juicy revelations in a story by ESPN's Jeff Passan, with another being that Polanco apparently loves the theme music from Top Gun — who doesn't, honestly?

It's all part of the kind of hero story that only October baseball can provide. And as far as Mariners fans are concerned, it's a huge relief that the setting is Seattle and not Houston.