Mariners’ Bryce Miller says injury has been an ongoing issue

The start to the 2025 season has been a frustrating one for Seattle Mariners starter Bryce Miller.

The right-hander hasn’t felt like himself all season, and it’s been evident by the results on the field. Miller hasn’t logged six innings in any of his eight starts this season, tying a career-long stretch of starts under six innings set during his rookie season in 2023. After allowing seven runs over five innings against the Blue Jays on Sunday, his ERA ballooned up to 5.22.

On Wednesday, the M’s placed their struggling starter on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation in his pitching arm. Miller, who’s joining starters Logan Gilbert and George Kirby on the IL, said it’s an issue he’s been dealing with since the final two months of last season.

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“It’s been something that, I’ve mentioned it a few times, but just been kind of lingering and kind of started really the back half of last year and kind of led through the offseason,” Miller said before Wednesday’s game against the Yankees.

Miller underwent an MRI on Monday that revealed no structural damage to the elbow, and said he’s feeling better after taking a cortisone shot Tuesday. He and the club are optimistic that he’ll be ready to return to the field as soon as his IL stint is up.

“It was kind of at the point where it wasn’t getting better doing what we were doing, and I don’t think that continuing to throw and continuing to push it was going to just magically fix it,” Miler said. “… They told me the cortisone has been great with guys with similar stuff in the past and, ideally, (it will) flush the inflammation out. I think the plan is come back as soon as I’m off the IL and be ready to go.”

General manager Justin Hollander told Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy earlier in the day that Miller will be down three to four days before he can resume throwing. He also said Miller’s issue is on the back of his elbow, not the front where the UCL – which is what Tommy John surgery repairs – would be a concern.

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While the prognosis on Miller’s elbow is overall positive news in that it isn’t something more serious, the trip to the IL is another tough blow during what’s been a difficult first seven weeks of Miller’s third career campaign.

“It’s just it’s been really frustrating because I feel like I’ve done everything I possibly can arm care-wise and preparation-wise and it just hasn’t improved,” Miller said.

Miller was excellent down the stretch in 2024 while managing his elbow issue. In nine starts from Aug. 9 on, he went 4-1 with a 1.34 ERA that was second in the majors over the stretch. He lasted at least six innings in seven of those outings and allowed one earned run or less in five.

Miller said the soreness lasted into the offseason, but he was feeling good when spring training began. However, it cropped again in his first start and he hasn’t felt 100% since.

“It felt good through camp, so I never really never said anything about it. But every week I feel like it’s just not been getting better,” Miller said. “This is not a not an easy game whenever you’re feeling good, so trying to battle through stuff every start is kind of an uphill battle. I’m excited to get it taken care of, knock it out and come back feeling fresh.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Miller’s lack of command was what stood out from his early struggles while dealing with the elbow issue.

“Sometimes that’s a physical thing and sometimes that’s a mental thing,” Wilson said. “He continues to say that he doesn’t didn’t feel like himself, and so it’s going to be good to get that taken care of and get back to who he is. I think we’re on the right path.”

The Mariners called up left-hander Jhonathan Díaz with Miller going on the IL. They have an off day Thursday before starting a three-game series at the San Diego Padres. With a day of rest, the M’s could re-slot their rotation. Wilson said they’re in the process of figuring that out.

For now, they’ll have have to roll with the punches as three-fifths of their starting rotation is on the IL.

“I think we’ll be in good shape,” Wilson said. “We’ve weathered the storm here with some injuries and we just have to continue to do it.”

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