The Seattle Mariners have agreed to a one-year, $7 million contract with outfielder A.J. Pollock, as per MLB Trade Rumors.
Pollock, who played for the Chicago White Sox last season, is a veteran outfielder with a strong track record of offensive production. However, In 2022, he had a disappointing run after hitting .245/.292/.389 over 527 plate appearances.
While those numbers may not jump off the page, Pollock has proven to be a consistent performer over the course of his career. In 2019, he hit .257 with 21 home runs and 65 RBIs in 113 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was an All-Star in 2015 when he hit .315 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs in 157 games.
Pollock never seemed truly comfortable during his lone season in Chicago. Pollock has already caught on with an exciting Mariners squad that advanced to the ALDS last season and is hoping to take another step forward into World Series contention.
How is Seattle Mariners preparing for 2023?
The Mariners have been active this off-season, as they are working on bolstering and sorting out the corner outfield spots. Mitch Haniger left the free agency, while Kyle Lewis and Jesse Winker were traded, while the Mariners signed Teoscar Hernandez from the Blue Jays to serve as the team’s new daily right fielder.
It remains to be seen how Pollock will fit in with the Mariners, but if he can stay healthy and produce at a similar level to what he has in the past, he should be a valuable addition to the team.
Pollock’s 2022 performance didn’t differ significantly from previous seasons in terms of overall Statcast numbers, while his hard-contract rate dropped significantly from 2021. His speed and baserunning also suffered, possibly as a result of hamstring ailments in each of the previous two seasons. Pollock’s biggest problem was a lack of power, as he slipped.227 Isolated Power in 2017-21 to.143 in 2022.
Overall, this could be a low-risk, high-reward move for the Mariners, and it shoA.J. Pollockuld pay off if Pollock can stay healthy and produce at a high level. It will be interesting to see how he fits in with his new team and how he performs in the upcoming season.
