13 hours ago - Sports

Mariners and Sounders make misery a team sport

Christine Clarridge

A Mariners player sprawls on the dirt after a fall, left, while a Sounders player tilts his head back with his hands on his face. — Suffering in Seattle. Photos: Ryan Sirius Sun (l) and Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The M's and the Sounders are learning that if you can't be spectacularly good, there's something to be said for being spectacularly bad.

Why it matters: Both teams have spent the summer losing with such commitment that fans are talking about needing a miracle to save the season.

Flashback: Last year, a Mariners fan paid an Etsy witch to lift the team's curse — and the Mariners promptly won 10 straight games, then had a deeper run in the playoffs than ever before.

This season, both teams could use that witch's number.

By the numbers: The Mariners are 70–81, guaranteeing their first non-winning season since 2020, one year after a magical run that persuaded fans to hope again.

This month, the M's beat the Athletics 19–1, the largest margin of victory in franchise history, then turned around and lost 6–4 to the Angels, the worst team in the American League.

Meanwhile: The Sounders haven't won an MLS match since May 13. Since the World Cup break, they're 0–6–4 in league play — including a 5-1 home loss on July 16 to Portland and four straight draws.

The big picture: Longtime Mariners fans — who've had 50 seasons to metabolize heartbreak, hope and dismal failure on a cellular level — are uniquely qualified to share coping tips with Sounders fans accustomed to playoffs and trophies.

The bottom line: Witch or no witch, we might as well laugh and enjoy having something to root for together.

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Mariners and Sounders make misery a team sport

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