The Seattle Mariners made a trade on Monday night.
They continued their active offseason by trading four players (outfielder Gabriel Gonzalez and right-handers Anthony DeSclafani, Justin Topa, and Darren Bowen) to the Minnesota Twins in exchange for a crucial, underrated player in their 2024 plans: Jorge Polanco.
The Mariners had been looking for a steady, consistent second baseman for a long, long time, and they finally got one in Polanco.
FOX Sports: MLB posted a graphic with the Mariners’ expected defensive alignment, and it’s looking very, very good after offseason additions.
After trading for 2B Jorge Polanco, here is how the Mariners are looking heading into 2024 🔱 pic.twitter.com/oVXBNOu1iC
Cal Raleigh and Mitch Garver will form one of the best catching tandems in baseball.
Both are capable hitters and can share catching duties.
Ty France is a league-average first baseman, and Polanco now gives Seattle an above-average second sacker.
J.P. Crawford is a master of his craft when it comes to fielding and has developed into a capable hitter.
The third base tandem of Luis Urias and Josh Rojas might be the weakest link, but they both have potential.
Luke Raley had a breakout party with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and was acquired via trade, and Mitch Haniger already knows what it is like to produce in a Mariners uniform.
Julio Rodriguez will be the star of the team and the regular center fielder.
With a rock-solid pitching staff and a fantastic backend of the bullpen, the Mariners could be a surprising candidate to win the AL West division over the Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers.