Jorge Polanco is hotter than the sun

Jorge Polanco is the hottest hitter on the planet, so how is he doing it? I break it down here.

It’s hardly even surprising anymore when Jorge Polanco finds a barrel. The most surprising thing about last night was when the Marine Layer swallowed up a fifth-inning drive by the Mariners’ DH, a blast that would have left 18/30 major league ballparks.

Polanco has nine home runs already in 2025, and trails just Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. in franchise history for slugging percentage in April.

Imagine telling yourself that a month ago.

The contrast between 2024 and 2025 is sharp. For most of last season, the 31-year-old switch-hitter looked like a shell of himself and had lost the physical ability to contribute at a high level with several different lower-body injuries throughout the campaign.

Many fans had no interest in bringing Polanco back to Seattle, especially not at a contract value north of 11 million. His option was declined, and with his market seemingly nonexistent, the 31-year-old infielder signed a one-year deal to return to Seattle with a player option that vests after 450 plate appearances.

The organization settled on Polo as their fix at third base in a market that proved challenging to trade with, especially at the infield positions.

Just about a month into the regular season, the switch-hitting infielder hasn’t taken a right-handed swing in a game since the beginning of the season, nor a ground ball in the infield. Lingering side and knee issues have hampered his ability to play the infield or swing right-handed, yet Polanco finds himself as the team MVP through April while not playing the field and only hitting left-handed.

He currently owns a .389/.423/.819 slash line, good enough for a 258 wRC+ (tops in all of baseball for players above 75 PA) and 1.4 fWAR. So, how is he doing it?

Some significant changes to his approach, swing, and offseason preparation appear to be the driving forces.

The number one reason for Polanco’s improved success is likely the improved health of his lower half. October patellar tendon surgery fixed an issue that bothered him for most of last season. Although the knee is likely still recovering, it is evident that stability and strength have improved significantly.

Polanco spent time on his strength and conditioning, and he improved that part of his game, which has translated in a way we will discuss in a bit.