Mariners can finally put offseason plans into motion after delayed option decision

The Seattle Mariners' 2025 season ended on October 20, and their offseason technically began when the World Series ended on Saturday. Realistically, though, the proper start to their offseason came on Wednesday morning via a key decision by Jorge Polanco.

The veteran switch-hitter had been mulling whether to pick up a $6 million player option for the 2026 season, and he's officially turned it down to become a free agent. The news was first reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

This is an expected development. The $6 million player option was a financial downgrade from the $8 million mutual option that was originally part of Polanco's one-year, $7.75 million contract. He vested the player option in September, by which time he was well on his way to his best season in years.

Jorge Polanco's opt-out decision allows Mariners to move ahead with offseason plans

Ultimately, the 32-year-old finished the regular season with 26 home runs and a career-best 134 OPS+. He then showed off his clutch gene in October, homering twice off Tarik Skubal (now a rumored target of the Mariners) in ALDS Game 2 and at one point collecting three straight game-winning RBI.

After a year like that, there was never any way that the 2019 All-Star was going to accept a measly $6 million salary for next season. It was strange that he took as long as he did to make his decision, which might have led one to wonder if he and the Mariners were working on a contract extension.

So much for that, and the question now is whether the Mariners will make Polanco a qualifying offer worth $22.025 million. As we've already discussed, that decision is a tricky one that comes with both reward (i.e., Polanco signing elsewhere and scoring the Mariners a draft pick) and risk (i.e., Polanco simply accepting the offer).

With or without the qualifying offer, there's already some buzz that Polanco may be the most likely of the Mariners' major free agents to end up back in Seattle.

He and the team know he can succeed in Seattle, whereas interest elsewhere could be limited because of his age, injury history and defensive limitations. Josh Naylor, on the other hand, could be in the market for nine figures after his huge 2025 season. And ALCS Game 5 notwithstanding, Eugenio Suárez didn't give the Mariners much incentive to keep him around with his play down the stretch of 2025.

No matter how you slice it, the Mariners officially have three holes to fill in their lineup at first base, third base and designated hitter. They could otherwise stand to upgrade right field and their bullpen, and could potentially consider trading Luis Castillo or Randy Arozarena.

Whatever this offseason ends up being for the Mariners, it doesn't seem like it will be boring. They have needs, yes, but they also have payroll space and prospect depth to leverage on the free-agent and trade markets. And after making it to within one win of the World Series, they certainly have the excuse to look at 2026 as unfinished business.