5 Mariners ruining World Series vibes amid brutal start to Cactus League schedule

Friday afternoon's much-needed 5-1 win versus the Rangers came at Surprise Stadium in the city of the same name, and it couldn't have been more apt. One day after giving up the most ever recorded runs in a Cactus League game, the Mariners halted a six-game losing streak by allowing their fewest in spring training play this year.

As much as it is just spring training, it's still been brutal to watch the Mariners up to this point and as of Sunday morning they sit at the bottom of the Cactus League standings and have the worst run-differential of all 30 Major League team. Using the projected opening day 26-man roster as our basis, here's a look at some of the players who've stood out with their struggles in Arizona.

5 Mariners ruining World Series vibes amid brutal start to Cactus League schedule

Luis Castillo

There's particular guilt involved about including Luis Castillo on this list, given that he lived up to his nickname of "The Rock" last season as the only member of the regular starting rotation to not miss time through injury. This durability has been there for all to see in the majors as a whole in recent seasons, with him ranking fourth with 106 starts and fifth with 618.1 combined innings since the All-Star break in 2022.

Still, Castillo has looked horrible through two spring training starts in allowing 10 hits and eight earned runs in 2.2 combined innings, including six hits and five earned runs in the 27-6 demolition by the Padres. We're not trying to suggest he'll be anywhere near as bad once the regular season begins, but with his declining velocity and advancing age, adding in a poor showing in Peoria isn't helping calm anyone's nerves.

Josh Naylor

We can almost feel the anger rising among Mariners fans as they pick up their pitchforks, with us even daring to include the player who galvanized his new team last season after his trade from the Diamondbacks. However, the harsh reality is that Josh Naylor stunk up the joint in spring training, before he headed off to the World Baseball Classic with Team Canada.

Naylor came out cold in the warmth of Peoria managing only one hit in 17 at-bats, striking out five times and producing just a 16.7 percent hard-hit percentage that equates to around half of the major league average. As we wrote on Wednesday, no one needs the World Baseball Classic more, with the hope that captaining your country can help get the Mariners' Energizer bunny going.

Dominic Canzone

If there was ever a player who acted like a quality Major Leaguer then it was Dominic Canzone, with the problem that his productivity never came close to matching the way he carried himself. This all changed last season when his bat play finally matched his confidence as he had a career year batting .300 with a .840 OPS, including a particularly dominant September when he hit .365 with a 1.048 OPS.

Unfortunately for Canzone his early-career struggles returned in the playoffs with just three hits in 28 at-bats and has spilled over into spring training, going 4-for-15 with no home runs and one walk. He's now at the WBC with Team Italy which, as with Naylor, should provide him the opportunity to justify his belief in his abilities and return to being the player who finally showed the Mariners last season that he's got what it takes to succeed.

Carlos Vargas

Of the players who regularly stressed out Mariners fans last season Carlo Vargas was right there at the top of the list with his erratic performances, and there were plenty of opportunities to witness them as he was second among their bullpen options with 77.0 combined innings. This was a guy equally capable of producing a tremendous 57.1 percent ground ball rate and a horrendous 18.9 percent whiff rate.

It's been rough so far in spring training, with Vargas allowing eight hits and six earned runs in four appearances and reminding people of some particularly poor outings during last season's playoffs. SoDo Mojo's Jason Wang recently provided a detailed breakdown of how the righty has the talent to become the M's next elite reliever, but now it's a case of going out there and actually fulfilling his potential on a more regular basis.

Casey Legumina

As things stand, Casey Legumina has the eighth spot in the Mariners bullpen almost by default, but the pressure is on for a player who's now out of minor league options. Last season was his most productive yet in three years, although that's not saying much when a 5.62 ERA and 1.450 WHIP can be called your career-lows.

As such, it doesn't help to begin spring training allowing four hits, two walks and two earned runs in your first four appearances, with the added condemnation that this wasn't even against Triple-A-caliber competition. Legumina did manage to pitch a scoreless inning on Friday against the Rangers, although he still allowed two hits and a walk, alluding to the increased need for him to get his act together or risk being designated for assignment and ending his time in Seattle.