Latest opt-out decision just presented Royals with perfect second base solution

With free agency floodgates officially set to open on Thursday, both teams and players have been busy making opt-out decisions, with several new big names being added to the free agent market in the early days of the offseason so far.

On Wednesday, the second base market got a major boost after Seattle Mariners postseason hero Jorge Polanco opted out of his contract for the 2026 season, electing to test the free agent waters instead.

Given how the Royals have a well-documented need for second base help, after the season Jonathan India had in his first year with the club and the injury-ridden and inconsistent season Michael Massey put together, someone like Polanco could be the perfect solution for them.

Royals and Jorge Polanco could be a free agency a match made in heaven

Polanco was already a fairly stable offensive force, having posted above average wRC+ totals (100 wRC+) in all but three of the 12 MLB seasons he’s appeared in. However, there’s no denying that 2025 was a career year at the plate for the 32-year-old.

In 524 plate appearances across 138 games with the Mariners this season, Polanco slashed .265/.326/.495 with 26 homers, 78 RBI and a 132 wRC+, placing him in the heart of an AL Silver Slugger battle at second base.

Then there’s the postseason, where in the ALDS versus the Detroit Tigers and the ALCS versus the Toronto Blue Jays, Polanco showcased his knack for timely hitting time and time again.

This included a pair of game-changing homers off Tarik Skubal in Game 2 of the Tigers series, the ALDS clinching RBI in the 15th inning of Game 5, two RBIs that proved to be the difference in Game 1 of the ALCS and three RBI in their Game 2 demolishing of the Jays.

Polanco’s October heroism was the prime example of the clutch hitter he was all season. In fact, Polanco was statistically the most clutch player in all of baseball this year. His 1.76 clutch rating topped the league, placing him ahead of notable names like Freddie Freeman (2nd at 1.66), Bo Bichette (3rd at 1.45), Gunnar Henderson (4th at 1.26) and Elly De La Cruz (5th at 1.20).

The Royals are in need of another middle of the order bat to help bridge the talent gap between their core four of Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, and the rest of the lineup. Polanco’s stats prove he can be that type of impact bat.

Then there’s the versatility to his game. As a switch hitter, he offers some balance to this lefty heavy lineup. There’s also the fact that he’s not someone that needs to play second base all the time, having played a majority of his games at DH in 2025, so if the Royals aren’t ready to completely give up on names like India or Massey, there’s still the option to have them feature in the lineup alongside Polanco on a fairly regular basis.

On top of all of this, what shouldn’t be forgotten when assessing a Royals fit for Polanco is how long he played in the AL Central as member of the Twins – which spanned from 2014 to 2023.

Given how strong he performed this season, there will be no shortage of suitors lining up to sell Polanco on their project.

But the Royals can hang with just about anyone, as they can provide him with the opportunity to play everyday for team with contending ambitions and have also shown their willingness to spend money for the right names as proven by the recent extensions they’ve handed out.