MLB insider's unhinged Jorge Polanco-Mariners trade idea is wild enough to work

There are conflicting reports on what the Seattle Mariners intend to do at the August 3 trade deadline, but "something" should be more likely than "nothing." And if you didn't have a reunion with Jorge Polanco on your bingo card, it's time to change that.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic pitched Polanco and right-hander Huascar Brazobán as the best trade fits for the Mariners. You'll hear no argument from us on Brazobán, who's having a heck of a late-career breakout. But Polanco???

At least from the perspective of the New York Mets, trading him is not that wild of a concept. They're in last place in the NL East at 38-54, which in itself points to the deadline as loss-cutting time. And since he's only in Year 1 of a two-year, $40 million deal, he's an ideal candidate for the same treatment the Mets gave Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer in 2023.

The 33-year-old Polanco has been limited by injuries to just 15 games at the MLB level, but he's healthy now after he was activated off the IL on Tuesday. So, there's that if nothing else. But there's also obviously familiarity from the Mariners' perspective. Polanco was one of the heroes of their 2025 season, and he wanted to return before the Mets simply outbid Seattle for his services.

Setting aside how a trade to bring Polanco back would work, there's the less-than-subtle conundrum of how he would fit in. Second base belongs to Cole Young, and nobody would want to reboot experiments with Polanco at third base or first base. Designated hitter would be the only practical spot for him, and that everyday role is rightfully Dominic Canzone's.

Where there's a will, there's a way with a potential trade to bring Jorge Polanco back to Seattle

Either way, the first step for Jerry Dipoto and the front office is convincing themselves that reuniting with Polanco is worth it.

To this end, they do need another hitter and they know how good Polanco can be when he's healthy and in a groove. And while he's historically been better from the left side as a switch-hitter, he hit .305 with an .888 OBP as a righty last year. This year's team could use that guy, especially with so few other righty bats to choose from on the market.

Besides, this may be a golden opportunity for a bad contract swap involving Luis Castillo. For instance, a "Who says no?" offer might look like this:

• Mariners get: DH Jorge Polanco, RHP Huascar Brazobán
• Mets get: RHP Luis Castillo, RF Luke Raley

Castillo has $33.1 million coming to him through 2027, whereas Polanco is owed $29.9 million. The M's would therefore be saving some money, and offloading both Castillo and Raley would open up a spot for Kade Anderson in the rotation and the DH role for Polanco, as Canzone (health permitting) could shift to right field.

The Mets, meanwhile, would get a functional innings-eater for the remainder of 2026 and all of 2027, plus a powerful lefty hitter who could take Polanco's spot at DH. It's not a bad return for a failed signing and a 36-year-old who's months removed from being a journeyman.

All this is to say that the possibility of a Polanco reunion is just crazy enough to work. It's not worth holding breath over, of course, but it shouldn't be any less on the table as anything else for Dipoto right now.

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