The largest contract Mariners should offer Jorge Polanco before moving on

Jorge Polanco and the Seattle Mariners still haven't gotten back together, and it isn't because they don't want to. It's a matter of contrasting valuations, which leads to the question of how far is too far for the Mariners to take these negotiations.

To sum up a report from Ryan Divish and Adam Jude of The Seattle Times, the latest news on Polanco and the Mariners on Tuesday was that there was no news. The two sides remain in a "staring contest" over contract terms, and you can read between the lines and see a considerable gap.

As Divish reported on Monday, Polanco and his agent are pushing for at least a three-year deal (preferably four) with an average value of at least $12 million. The Mariners, meanwhile, would be more comfortable doing a two-year deal, perhaps with an option for a third season.

What is the largest contract Mariners should offer Jorge Polanco before moving on?

In other words, the Mariners are trying to avoid going as far as three years, $36 million or four years, $48 million for Polanco — and those guarantees would be on the low end, given that Polanco purportedly wants at least a $12 million AAV.

The Mariners might actually have some daylight for getting the 32-year-old Polanco back on a team-friendly deal. There's been some reporting that he values comfort and winning, both of which apply to the Mariners. Polanco spent the last two seasons with Seattle and was a big reason why they went as far as Game 7 of the ALCS this year.

There has been Polanco-related buzz concerning the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees, but nothing recently and both seem to have bigger fish to fry. The Pittsburgh Pirates are expected to make Polanco an offer soon, according to Alex Stumpf of MLB.com, but they fall short of his supposed comfort and winning standards. The Bucs might have to overpay for him, something they're not known to have a stomach for.

Given all this and the existence of alternative options on the trade market — i.e., Ketel Marte, Brendan Donovan and Brandon Lowe — the Mariners might actually have a strong hand to play with Polanco.

Here's how they should play it: Make him an offer of two years, $30 million, with a post-2026 opt-out.

As legitimately good as Polanco was in 2025, two years is as far as the Mariners should be willing to go for a guy who's A) already two years past 30, B) a year removed from knee surgery and C) best used at designated hitter, not second base. The Mariners also don't want him permanently blocking any future cornerstones, such as Cole Young, Michael Arroyo or Lazaro Montes.

With Jerry Dipoto having identified this season's year-end payroll as a "starting point" for 2026, the Mariners should have $15 million left to work with. A two-year, $30 million deal for Polanco would fit perfectly within that boundary, though the Mariners could use a signing bonus, a backloaded structure or deferrals to fudge the numbers and create space for other needs.

For Polanco's part, it wouldn't be the contract he wants. But it would guarantee him 65 percent of his career earnings to date, and he'd get the comfort and winning he desires — not to mention no income taxes in the state of Washington. And if he has another great year in 2026, he'll have the opt-out at his disposal.

The Mariners shouldn't push their "take it or leave it" point any further than this. And if Polanco were to leave it, the team could pivot to other options without even a shred of doubt.