Mariners' increasingly sour spring didn't need Jorge Polanco going off for Mets

Have you ever gone through the nightmare scenario of seemingly everything going wrong for you, and it being made worse by hearing that things are going well for your ex with their new partner? Well that's exactly what's been happening to the Seattle Mariners of late, coping with a horrendous spring against the background of Jorge Polanco settling in nicely with his new team, the New York Mets.

The Mariners arrived at camp in Peoria with great vibes, as one of the leading contenders to finally win it all in 2026 after coming closer than ever to a first World Series berth last season. However, there was already a hint that spring training wouldn't go as planned, with the news at the end of January that key depth starter Logan Evans would miss the entire year after undergoing UCL surgery.

Things became more concerning for the rotation when Bryce Miller suffered left side oblique inflammation in his first Cactus League start, and is now doubtful to be ready for opening day after suffering a setback on Wednesday. Then there's the Cal Raleigh-Randy Arozarena incident at the World Baseball Classic, which just refuses to die and has left an unsavory taste in the mouths of a Mariners fanbase which traditionally doesn't need an excuse to stress out about their team.

Jorge Polanco looking good for the New York Mets in spring training

Oh, and the Mariners have the worst record in spring training among all 30 Major League teams, highlighted by allowing the most ever recorded runs in a Cactus League game with the 27-6 drubbing at the hands of the San Diego Pardres. Meanwhile, Polanco is looking good in Florida with the Mets, going 4-for-12 with two homers, a couple of walks and three runs in limited action.

We've written before about the Mets practically trolling the M's with the claim that Polanco is going to be a better first baseman than five-time All-Star Pete Alonso, despite having never played the position in the majors. How feasible this is remains to be seen, but he's certainly making an excellent overall impression with New York's "other" team. (See, we can also play the trolling game.)

Polanco has been getting plenty of good reviews for his work ethic and presence in camp. As per Dan Martin of the New York Post, Brett Baty raved about his new teammate as he said: "There’s no ego with him. He wants to play, and he’ll play wherever. We’re both bouncing ideas off each other, working on our footwork. It’s good to have both [of] us there working."

Polanco hasn't had that many opportunities yet to show what he can do with his glove at first base, but has said he's feeling more comfortable at the position. This was highlighted in the Mets' recent 7-4 loss to the Washington Nationals, when he made a smooth play on a sharp grounder during the third inning, as he took the ball himself.

At the end of the day, Mariners fans were able to get over losing Polanco once the Brendan Donovan trade happened. However, it doesn't change the reality that the 2019 All-Star was a huge part of the success enjoyed in Seattle last season, so you'll forgive people if they feel a bit nostalgic with him doing so well with the Mets while their own team is enduring a rough time of it.