The Astros are focused on re-signing but arent putting all of their eggs in that basket. Theyve been linked to another likely nine-figure free agent and have also checked in with a few contingency plans, including free agent , . Polanco, whos coming off a down year in Seattle and underwent knee surgery in October, has typically been a middle infielder, first coming to the majors as a shortstop in Minnesota before moving over to second base due to defensive concerns. The 31-year-old does have a bit of experience at the hot corner, having logged a combined 180 innings there in two different seasons with the Twins (plus another 128 frames there as a minor leaguer). He played 103 innings at third base as recently as 2023 in Minnesota. The 2024 season was a disaster for Polanco, whos battled knee troubles for several seasons and saw those ongoing troubles culminate in offseason surgery. His lone year in Seattle produced a .213/.296/.355 slash in 118 games a far cry from the combined .270/.338/.455 output Polanco posted in six years with the Twins from 2018-23. Polanco still cracked 16 home runs for the Mariners in 2024, but his strikeout rate spiked to a career-worst 29.2% and he posted some of the worst defensive grades of his career (-10 Outs Above Average). Polanco underwent surgery to repair the patellar tendon in his left knee in early October. Hed previously had IL stints for that same knee in both 2023 and 2022, Johnny Manziel Jersey mi sing about seven weeks of action combined between the two instances. Given the recent knee struggles and ugly results in 2024, Polanco is likely ticketed for a one-year deal. At the very least, hed be an affordable alternative to Bregman/Adames who could allow the Stros to perhaps spend elsewhere. At this stage of his career, however, asking Polanco to hold down third base regularly feels like a stretch. Hell turn 32 next July, is coming off that knee surgery and already ranks poorly in terms of arm strength on his throws in the infield, per Statcast. While throws from second base and third base cant simply be compared in apples-to-apples fashion throws from third base are inherently going to come in at a higher velocity Polanco is well below average even when compared strictly to other second basemen; his average velocity ranked 48th among the 63 players who made at least 100 throws as a second baseman in 2024. Perhaps a healthier lower half will lead to better life on his throws moving forward, but the recent trends dont bode well for a move to third base. That said, its a pretty thin market at the hot corner this offseason at least in free agency. Bregman is the clear top option, though some teams might prefer Adames, whos reportedly willing to move off shortstop in the right setting. Virtually everyone beyond Bregman and Adames falls into the rebound candidate bucket, with Polanco joining names like , , , and (among others). The trade market includes and the pricier , to name a couple of the most prominent candidates. Yuki Matsui Jersey