The Seattle Mariners appear close to getting a key arm back in their starting rotation as Bryce Miller advances steadily on his rehab assignment. Since being sidelined with right elbow inflammation due to a bone spur, Miller has begun displaying encouraging results during his Triple-A outings, signaling a potential return to the big league mound soon.

Miller’s Injury History and Rehab Timeline

Bryce Miller has been on the injured list for the Mariners since early June, retroactive to June 7, after experiencing right elbow inflammation linked to a bone spur. Before being placed on the IL, he underwent a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection, following an earlier 16-day stint in May when he had a cortisone shot that failed to bring the desired relief. Since August 1, Miller has been rehabbing with Seattle’s Triple-A team, the Tacoma Rainiers, working to regain form and velocity through controlled rehab starts.

Performance Details from Triple-A Starts

During his latest outing, Miller pitched 5.2 innings against the Las Vegas Aviators, guiding Tacoma to a 5-2 victory. He struck out four batters, issued one walk, and surrendered two earned runs on two hits, including a home run. Throughout his rehab progress, Miller’s pitch counts have steadily increased, starting around 40-45 pitches in his first start and rising by roughly 20 pitches with each subsequent appearance. In this most recent start, he threw 76 pitches, 51 of which were strikes.

Miller has consistently maintained a fastball velocity in the 95-98 mph bracket, peaking at 98 mph in this outing. He recorded three strikeouts on fastballs and one with his splitter. Notably, Miller retired the first 12 batters he faced consecutively and limited high-velocity batted balls, with only a single ball coming off at over 93 mph. While his command has not been flawless, Miller is meeting the Mariners’ critical physical benchmarks for pitchers returning from injury.

Potential Next Steps for Miller’s Return

The Mariners are considering whether to allow Miller one more rehab start with a pitch count similar to or slightly above his most recent outing to ensure sustained velocity and endurance. If all indicators continue to look positive, Seattle could activate him to rejoin the starting rotation in the near term. With an uncertain but hopeful context, Miller’s return would provide much-needed depth for a Mariners rotation that has dealt with injuries all season.

Upcoming Mariners Schedule and Rotation Outlook

Seattle is set to finish its current series against the Baltimore Orioles, with Logan Evans scheduled to start the final game. Following that, the Mariners face the New York Mets in a three-game series from August 15 to 17 and then host the Philadelphia Phillies from August 18 to 20. The current rotation slated against the Mets includes Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo, and George Kirby. Should Miller be activated and placed on a six-day pitching schedule like other Mariners starters returning from injury this year, he could be ready to pitch in Game 2 of the series against Philadelphia.

This season, Miller has pitched 48.2 innings across 10 major league starts, posting a 5.73 ERA while striking out 39 batters. His ongoing rehab success is critical to improving these numbers and stabilizing the Mariners’ rotation, which has long sought reliable consistency from its starters.