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The first major domino of the Twins offseason fell Monday and Jorge Polanco, the longest-tenured player on the team, was traded to the Seattle Mariners in a five-player deal.
The Twins received two righthanders, starter Anthony DeSclafani and reliever Justin Topa, and two minor leaguers, outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and pitcher Darren Bowen, in exchange for Polanco, the switch-hitting second baseman who has been a regular part of the Twins infield since 2016. The Mariners will send cash to the Twins to offset salaries, the teams announced.
Polanco, an All-Star in 2019, was an above-average hitter throughout his 10 seasons with the Twins. Limited by injuries to 80 games last season, he hit .255 with 14 homers and 48 RBI.
The Twins picked up a $10.5 million club option in Polanco’s contract in November, but he was one of the club’s primary trade candidates because of their depth in the infield. Polanco spent time at third base and designated hitter to accommodate Edouard Julien in the second half of last season. Brooks Lee, a top infield prospect in the organization, reached Class AAA last year, too.
Polanco signed with the Twins one day after his 16th birthday in 2009. All he did since then was become an integral part of the organization. He made his MLB debut at 20 years old, the youngest debut since Joe Mauer. He hit for the cycle on April 5, 2019, and earned down-ballot MVP votes that season on the Bomba Squad.
There was an 80-game suspension for usage of a performance-enhancing substance in 2018, but he turned that into a footnote. He had 33 homers and 98 RBI in 2021, franchise records for a switch hitter, plus five walk-off plate appearances.
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The Mariners, who were seeking more offense at second base, could keep Polanco through 2025. Polanco has another club option in his contract after the upcoming season.
“From the beginning of this offseason, Jorge was someone we identified as a perfect fit for our roster,” Seattle GM Justin Hollander said in a statement.
DeSclafani, 33, went 4-8 with a 4.88 ERA in 18 starts for the San Francisco Giants last year, totaling 79 strikeouts and 20 walks in 99 ⅔ innings. In the final year of a three-year, $36 million contract, DeSclafani missed the final two months of last season with a right elbow flexor strain.
Topa, a 32-year-old righthander, had his best year in the majors last season, yielding a 2.61 ERA in 69 innings out of the Mariners bullpen with 61 strikeouts and 18 walks. He recorded three saves, primarily pitching in the seventh and eighth innings.
Gonzalez, an outfielder who reached Class A-Advanced last year, was ranked as the No. 5 prospect in the Mariners’ organization by Baseball America. The 20-year-old stands out with his power and his arm. He batted .298 with 18 homers and 84 RBI in 116 games between two minor league levels in 2023.
Bowen, a 13th-round pick in 2022, had a 3.88 ERA in Class A last season. Ranked as the Mariners’ No. 25 prospect, the 22-year-old was considered one of the most athletic pitchers in their farm system.
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