Mariners Notebook: Polanco makes spring debut at third base

Mar 8, 2025, 11:33 PM | Updated: Mar 9, 2025, 4:09 pm

Mariners Insider, Seattle Sports

MESA, Ariz. – The long drive to Mesa (at least by Cactus League standards) was well worth it for Seattle Mariners infielder Jorge Polanco.

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Polanco, who had been DH-ing in his first few spring training games, got to play his new position of third base on Saturday for the first time this year. For good measure, he also recorded his first hit of the spring with a two-run home run to right-center.

So, which was the better first?

“In spring training, they are both very much the same,” Polanco said after the Mariners’ 9-8 loss to the Chicago Cubs. “I have been working hard trying to get out there and play, and it felt good to be back.”

The bat is certainly important to the Mariners. But with the clock ticking toward opening day, Polanco at third base was likely the better sight with just 14 opportunities remaining to get game action at a position he has played just 23 times in the big leagues.

“I probably was a little bit too quick,” Polanco said of his first outing at third. “I’ve got to slow everything down a little bit. But today is the first day of me playing back there. I think I just have got to get used to it, get in my reps. The key is working on it. It’s going to be fine.”

Coming off knee surgery, the Mariners have been careful to bring Polanco along slowly, holding him off on wall work with infield coach Perry Hill until just recently and limiting what he did in early infield.

It’s a different look at third base than it is on the other side of the diamond at first, and there is, of course, the need to run in on the slow roller. These will be the biggest adjustments for Polanco at his new position.

At the plate, it’s not an adjustment, but a better feeling for Polanco, who is now hitting on a healthy left knee.

“I feel better at the plate,” Polanco said. “I was seeing the pitcher a little bit better, trying to stay back a little more, let the ball travel a bit longer. I don’t have to jump right away or anything like that. That’s how it feels with my knee. I can stay back a little more. It’s really good today.”

Notes

• Polanco was not alone in homering for the Mariners on Saturday. Rowdy Tellez checked in with a two-run shot early on, while prospects Harry Ford and Colt Emerson each hit their first homers of the spring in the later innings – both of which were monster blasts. (That’s the best I can do, as Sloan Park does not have Statcast.)

• Logan Gilbert started the game and was a bit off, allowing two runs on a pair of solo homers and walking three in 1 2/3 innings. While a few of the called balls appeared to be strikes, Gilbert was more focused on what he needed to do to get on track.

“I think it was the release point or something,” Gilbert said. “I don’t want to make more of it than what it is. It just felt off today. I’ll look on video and just see if (there’s) anything really small – if it’s direction or release point or whatever.”

Gilbert pointed out his slider is the pitch he sees as his baseline and that it felt good Saturday, but there were some things to look into.

• The Mariners made four cuts earlier in the day, reassigning infielder Brock Rodden and outfielders Cade Marlowe, Spencer Packard and Rhylan Thomas to minor league camp. With the moves, the camp roster is now at 63 players.

• Luis Castillo starts against the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, with Andrés Muñoz, Gabe Speier and Collin Snider scheduled to pitch in relief.