The Seattle Mariners already won the week by agreeing to a five-year contract with free agent first baseman Josh Naylor.

Bringing back Naylor was priority No. 1 for the M's this offseason, but the organization has also said they want to retain the services of Jorge Polanco and Eugenio Suarez.

The team has the budget to bring back at least one of them, with Polanco seemingly the preferred option, but the latest report on his free agency is bad news for Seattle.

Per Ken Rosenthal and Wil Sammon of The Athletic:

Polanco, 32, still would fit nicely, serving mostly as a designated hitter to protect his health but also playing second on days the Mariners want to use Cal Raleigh at DH. But Polanco, according to major-league sources, wants to play out the market. The Boston Red Sox might want him if they lose third baseman Alex Bregman, the Toronto Blue Jays might if they lose Bo Bichette. And those are just two possibilities.

A 12-year veteran of the Minnesota Twins and Mariners, Polanco is now 32 years old. He'll turn 33 in July of 2026. A lifetime .263 hitter, he is coming off an excellent season in which he hit .265 with 26 home runs and 78 RBIs for Seattle. 

He carried a .326 on-base percentage this season, and he came up clutch in the playoffs, hitting two home runs off Tarik Skubal in the American League Division Series and providing five RBIs against the Jays in the ALCS.

He also had the game-winning single in the bottom of the 15th inning of Game 5 of the ALDS, which is one of the more memorable moments in franchise history.

They may be legitimate, but they don't necessarily make a lot of sense.

Are the Blue Jays really going to count on Polanco, who the Mariners only gave 39 defensive starts in the regular season to, as their everyday second baseman if Bichette leaves? He can't play designated there given the presence of Anthony Santander and George Springer.

And as for the Red Sox? If Bregman leaves, they already have a ready-made third baseman in Marcelo Mayer, and they could play Kristian Campbell at second base. They've already given Campbell a contract extension, so they are obligated to play him.

And as for their designated hitter spot? They have several outfielders - and Masataka Yoshida - who will be roaming through that spot.

The idea of competition for Polanco is always a worry, as more suitors equals a bigger price tag. Furthermore, if Polanco really wants to test the market, can the Mariners really afford to wait for him?

And even though the above rumors don't make much sense, it doesn't mean that a team won't do it and deal with its own problems later. And again, that competition is bad for a Mariners team that is operating on a budget.

LATEST PODCAST IS OUT: Brady Farkas is back for the the latest episode of the Refuse to Lose podcast! He covers the Josh Naylor news from every angle including the message it sends to the clubhouse and fanbase. Also, what's next for Seattle? LISTEN HERE:

DON'T YA KNOW: Former Mariners infielder Robinson Cano played his final game in the United States on Saturday in an emotional sendoff. CLICK HERE: 

RUNNING IT BACK? If the Mariners are going to 'run it back' in 2026, let's hope it's for the right reasons. CLICK HERE: 

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