Jorge Polanco is Back on Top

In 2019, the Twins signed Jorge Polanco to a five-year $25.75 million deal with options for 2024 and 2025. Up to this point, Polanco was already well worth his team-friendly deal with his slash line of .275/.333/.434. Even coming back from an 80-game suspension for a banned substance, Polanco appeared to be a steady bat the Twins could rely on for the next five years.

In 2019, however, Polanco rewarded the Twins' show of faith with more than they ever could have expected. Polanco was the starting shortstop in the All-Star Game for the American League. Polanco was a dynamic player in the best lineup in the AL and finished the season with a 120 wRC+. TwinsDaily cited Polanco as the Twins most valuable asset following the season, and for good reason. While questions lingered regarding Polanco’s long-term defense, he looked to be an offensive force for years to come.

In retrospect, Polanco’s offseason ankle surgery probably shouldn’t have been taken so lightly. In a season where it became clear the Bomba Squad was a one-year deal, Polanco was simply putrid on offense. Slashing .258/.304/.354, Polanco was 20% below a league average hitter during the 2020 season. After being a lock near the top of the lineup, Polanco finished the season shoring up the bottom of the order.

It was plenty easy to call the 2020 season a one off, but Polanco followed it up by actually being worse to begin 2021. Through the end of April, Polanco was hitting just .209/.267/.286. He was still regularly showing off the half-swing that indicated his ongoing ankle issues.

Then came May.

Since the turn of the calendar, Polanco has been even better than the All-Star version of himself. His .270/.337/.487 line was 24% above league average. His wRC+ has shot up from 53 to 105. 

In addition to his offensive rebound, Polanco also appears to be acclimating to his new second base role well. He’s pegged for -1 Outs Above Average per Statcast and has been worth 1 Defensive Run Saved per Fangraphs. After a bit of an adjustment period, Polanco has really appeared to settle into what will probably be the position he fills for the entirety of his Twins career.

It would have been easy to say “It’s just 100 or so games” and call it a cold streak, but it was much more difficult to do so with Polanco’s years-long ankle injury. It was well in bounds to wonder at some point if Polanco was bound for a bench or platoon role which would have left the Twins looking for a future second baseman while already having to address so many issues after this season. That makes Polanco’s turnaround all the more incredible.

Polanco may not be the most valuable of the Twins' assets anymore with Alex Kirilloff and Trevor Larnach looking like a formidable young duo. That being said, you can argue that Polanco has lifted himself back up to the top of the list of what many believed to be the Twins’ core headed into 2021. The Twins will need to address plenty this offseason from pitching to shortstop to center field depth. At second base, however, it appears the gamble they made two years ago on a steady hitter stretched at his shortstop position will continue paying off.

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