The Seattle Mariners' playoff dreams were hanging by a thread, but one player stepped up to become their unexpected hero. Jorge Polanco's incredible performance has put them on the cusp of their first World Series appearance ever! But what makes this story even more remarkable is the journey Polanco took to get here, and the unique way his teammates have embraced his clutch performances.
In the Seattle Mariners' clubhouse, an unusual anthem sometimes bursts forth: the soaring guitar riffs of the "Top Gun Anthem." The culprit? None other than veteran second baseman Jorge Polanco, famous for his reluctance to silence his phone.
"But he loves Maverick and Iceman," teammate Cal Raleigh playfully admits, referring to the iconic characters from the movie. Surprisingly, no one seems to mind the boisterous ringtone. When a player is performing at Polanco's level this postseason – consistently rescuing the Mariners from precarious situations – his ringtone could be anything, and it wouldn't matter. His latest feat? A clutch, go-ahead three-run home run that propelled the Mariners to a commanding 10-3 victory on Monday, putting them up two games to none against the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series.
The "Top Gun Anthem" seems almost fitting for this Mariners' playoff run. It's an epic, emotional track that mirrors the team's own rollercoaster history. After 49 years marked by periods of mediocrity and heartbreaking near misses, Seattle, the only MLB team never to have played in a World Series, is now just two wins away from capturing its first American League pennant. Imagine, heading home to T-Mobile Park for Game 3 with this kind of momentum!
This dominant position is largely thanks to Polanco, the 32-year-old infielder whose playoff heroics have earned him a fitting nickname. While "Iceman" might seem appropriate given his clutch performances, his teammates have dubbed him something else entirely.
"He's George Bonds," M's catcher Mitch Garver declared, referencing the anglicized version of Polanco's first name combined with the last name of baseball's all-time home run king, Barry Bonds. Garver explained that Polanco earned the moniker earlier this season when "everything he hit was 110 [mph] in a gap or over the fence. It was unbelievable!"
And this is the part most people miss: Polanco's journey to becoming "George Bonds" wasn't easy. Just last winter, his career was uncertain due to persistent left knee issues. He underwent surgery last October to repair his patellar tendon. As a free agent, he faced limited interest and ultimately re-signed with the Mariners for a one-year, $7.75 million deal. Talk about a gamble that paid off!
"It's been a journey, man," Polanco reflected. "That's the way I can put it. I wouldn't say it's been bad. I wouldn't say it's been easy. I think God just prepared me for this year. I've been hurt a little bit, so, yeah, but now we here and I'm glad to be back."
He added, "You just have to have faith. You overcome. Come back stronger."
Polanco's strength has been on full display throughout October. It emerged in the second game of Seattle's division series against Detroit, where he blasted two home runs off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, a pitcher many believe is on track to win his second consecutive Cy Young Award. Three games later, in a pressure-packed winner-takes-all Game 5, he delivered a crucial single into right field in the 15th inning, propelling the Mariners to their first ALCS since 2001. And he didn't stop there, following up with a go-ahead single in the sixth inning of Game 1 against the Blue Jays on Sunday.
Then came the fifth-inning explosion against Toronto reliever Louis Varland. Varland threw a 98-mph fastball over the plate, and Polanco sent it soaring off his bat at 105.2 mph, traveling 400 feet to transform a 3-3 tie into a 6-3 Mariners advantage.
"He's always been a great hitter," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. "His swing right now is very short. That ball tonight, I wasn't sure it was going to go out of the ballpark, but I think he's just getting that kind of spin on it right now where it stays up."
Polanco's hitting prowess is the result of years of dedication and evolution. He arrived in the major leagues with Minnesota at just 20 years old, a switch-hitting specialist known for his ability to make contact. His talent earned him a consistent role with the Twins.
"He wasn't George Bonds before," Garver clarified. "He was Harry Potter. Because he was a wizard. He'd just make hits appear."
Polanco discovered his power stroke five years into his career, culminating in a career-high 33 home runs in 2021. However, his knee problems gradually diminished his power and led to more swings and misses. Last year, in his first season with the Mariners, his numbers declined significantly. But the organization recognized Polanco's calm demeanor and believed that correcting his knee issues would also revitalize his swing. They saw potential where others might have given up.
Their faith paid off. "George Bonds" was reborn during a remarkable first month of the 2025 season, when Polanco launched nine home runs in just 80 plate appearances. He fully embraced the Mariners' philosophy of pulling the ball in the air. To illustrate, Raleigh led MLB with a 1.594 OPS on balls pulled, while third baseman Eugenio Suarez ranked second at 1.497. This season, Polanco hit 23 of his 26 home runs to the pull side. All of his homers off Skubal (hit from the right side) and the one against Varland (left) were pulled over the fence.
"Throughout the years, I hated going to Minnesota just solely because of him," said shortstop J.P. Crawford, the longest-tenured Mariner. "The guy single-handedly beat us so many times. We all know the type of player he is when he is healthy, and it's clearly showing right now."
Remarkably, in the game's 150-year history, no player had ever recorded three consecutive game-winning hits after the fifth inning in the postseason. This kind of performance is crucial for teams aiming to win pennants and championships. While Raleigh's MVP-caliber season, Julio Rodriguez's explosive second half, and Seattle's dominant pitching have all contributed to their success, winning playoff baseball requires something more.
It needs a player like Polanco, who, after being almost forgotten over the winter, steps up to hit cleanup and remains unfazed even in the most high-pressure situations.
"What's most impressive is bouncing back after a rough year last year," said Bryan Woo, who will start Game 3 on Wednesday against Toronto's Shane Bieber. "Especially for a guy on his second team, back half of his career. To do what he's doing -- get healthy, come back, help the team like he has -- is even more impressive than just playing good baseball."
Of course, playing good baseball certainly helps. Polanco's contribution has propelled Seattle into a position that seemed almost unattainable just a month ago. From mid-August to early September, the Mariners struggled, losing 13 of 18 games. They trailed Houston by 3½ games in the AL West and held only a half-game lead over Texas for the final wild-card spot. But then, the Mariners turned things around, going 17-4, winning the West, earning a first-round bye, and setting their sights on history.
They're not there yet. Even Polanco acknowledges that Mariners players are aware of the team's history and what it would mean to reach the World Series.
"Yeah, we think about it," he admitted. "We've heard it a lot. We know."
That knowledge hasn't deterred them. Raleigh is hitting exceptionally well, Rodriguez is delivering powerful hits, and Josh Naylor, who grew up nearby, blasted a two-run home run in Game 2. And "George Bonds" has arrived in style, as cool as Iceman and Maverick, perfectly content to prioritize impactful plays over silent mode.
But here's where it gets controversial... Some might argue that focusing too much on Polanco overshadows the contributions of other key players. Is he truly the sole reason for the Mariners' success, or is it a collective effort? And what about the pressure this attention puts on him going forward?
What do you think? Is it fair to call Polanco the Mariners' savior, or is that an oversimplification? Will his performance continue to carry the team to the World Series? Sound off in the comments below!
