Mariners’ Bryce Miller stops short of throwing planned bullpen

Throughout any given year, I will report multiple times that “Rehabbing pitcher ‘X’ threw a bullpen, and all went well.”

A spring breakout reveals a good problem Seattle Mariners have

Wednesday morning at Seattle Mariners camp in Peoria, Ariz., Bryce Miller had a bullpen scheduled at 10:30 a.m. to continue working his way back from inflammation in his left oblique that he first felt in late February. The “all went well” social media post did not follow, as the bullpen did not go.

Miller went through his normal progression to throw the bullpen, but he stopped short of throwing a pitch with full intent. Instead, he stepped to the back of the mound to talk with his pitching coaches and trainers. He did not return to throwing and declined to talk to the media when he left the field about 20 minutes later.

Mariners general manager Justin Hollander did speak shortly after, though.

“This is rehab. This is part of it,” Hollander said. “Rob Scheidegger and the training staff told Bryce that if you feel anything at all, don’t push through it. That’s not where you’re at in this process.”

After feeling fine in the lead up to the bullpen, Miller felt what Hollander called “a little tightness” in the oblique on his final throws down the mound before the bullpen session was to begin, and he heeded the words of his coaches and training staff, shutting it down.

“It’s all part of the progression,” said Hollander. “Some days you feel a little tightness and we back it down. Sometimes you feel great and we feel like you’re ready to take the next step. He wasn’t ready to take the next step today. Smartly said, I’m not ready to take the next step today, so we’ll try again in a couple days.”

Miller will take a step back in the progression but not be shut down from throwing, according to Hollander, who estimated Miller would throw another touch-and-feel bullpen in three or four days. And if all goes well, then a full bullpen will follow three days after that.

It has become more and more clear in the last week that Miller would not have enough time to get fully ready for the start of the regular season with the number of games remaining in spring training. It is not a topic the Mariners have been willing to address as of yet, but no doubt plans are in the works to fill the spot in the starting rotation while Miller is out. Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell are the immediate depth at starter, with Criswell already likely to make the roster as he is out of minor league options. He can pitch out of the bullpen or as a starter and has been working toward being stretched out, as has Hancock.

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