Mariners Injury Update: Latest on Miller, Robles and more

SEATTLE – Bryce Miller is scheduled to make his next rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Tacoma, Seattle Mariners general manager Justin Hollander said Friday.

Miller, who started the season on the 15-day injured list with a left oblique strain, made his third rehab start on Thursday with Triple-A Tacoma. The right-hander needed just 53 pitches to get through four scoreless innings. He struck out four and allowed two hits and two walks.

“Bryce is doing great,” Hollander said. “For those who watched or saw his outing last night, he felt great, stuff looks good.”

Seattle Mariners place Matt Brash on IL, recall lefty reliever

The goal for Miller’s next outing is to throw 65 to 70 pitches. Since he missed nearly all of spring training, he’s expected to use the full 30-day window for his rehab stint to build up, putting him in line to rejoin the Mariners by mid-May.

As for what the Mariners are looking for from Miller in his next start.

“Just volume, making sure he’s holding stuff throughout the outing in a way that’s normal for him,” Hollander said. “I don’t expect the first pitch to be 99 (mph) and the 70th pitch to be 99. Every starter has some sort of natural taper as we go on.”

“This is his build up for the season, so he needs to go and throw strikes feel comfortable in his delivery,” Hollander added. “Obviously not feeling soreness in his side, which today he hasn’t felt.”

Hollander said the team has yet to decide if Miller will need more rehab starts after his next scheduled outing.

“We’ll see where he’s at after this one,” he said. “I don’t want to commit to one more and then one more turns out to be not enough and he needs another one… You learn lessons over time, and when we try and dictate that we need a pitcher to pitch on this date, it usually doesn’t work out for the Mariners or that pitcher. We want to let the pitcher tell us when he’s ready. So if he’s ready after the next one, obviously we can talk about it.”

Hollander gave updates on several other injured Mariners. Below is the latest on each, including Brendan Donovan, Matt Brash and Victor Robles.

• Third baseman Brendan Donovan (left groin muscle strain) is set to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Arkansas on Tuesday. If all goes well, he’s expected to return to the Mariners at the start of their three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox next Friday. You can read more about Donovan here.

• Right-hander Matt Brash was placed on the 15-day injured list with right lat inflammation on Friday. Hollander said an MRI showed no structural damage and nothing serious with the lat issue. The team had considered whether or not Brash needed an IL stint, but ultimately erred on the side of caution with the right-hander.

“We’ve been really careful with Matt all year long in making sure that we’re not putting in a position to go hurt himself or damage the long-term prospects of the season,” Hollander said shortly before Brash was placed on the IL.

• Outfielder Victor Robles (right pec strain) is slated to start a rehab assignment with Tacoma on Sunday. Hollander said he will spend at least one week on the assignment and will be reassessed on a weekly basis.

Robles is nearing the end of a throwing program, which is the final step he needs to complete before beginning a rehab stint.

“He’s throwing to bases. I think the last thing he needs to check off the box is throwing to home from the outfield and cutting it loose, but it feels really good,” Hollander said. “He’s made really good progress over the last week, 10 days.”

• Right-hander Carlos Vargas (right lat strain) experienced a mild setback in his throwing program and will need to restart his progression when he returns to throwing from the mound.

“I don’t think it changes his timeline a ton yet, but we’ll see where he’s at and when he can get back to a throwing program,” Hollander said.

Vargas was previously expected to need until at least late May to begin a rehab stint.

• The M’s hope utilityman Miles Mastrobuoni will be able to begin a rehab assignment in about three weeks. Mastrobuoni began the year on the injured list with a right calf strain suffered while playing for Team Italy during the World Baseball Classic. He began a rehab assignment April 8 with Triple-A Tacoma but was shut down after playing six games with an injury to his other calf.

• First baseman Patrick Wisdom (left oblique strain) is expected to begin a rehab assignment this weekend.  

The Mariners begin a three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Friday night at 6:45 p.m. Radio coverage can be heard on Seattle Sports 710 AM and the Seattle Sports app. 

More on the Seattle Mariners

• The Seattle Mariners’ competition in AL West doesn’t look strong
• Seattle Mariners Lineup: A few differences against a lefty
• Checking in on how notable ex-Mariners are doing with new teams
• Salk’s Take: What’s behind Mariners shaking off their slow start
• How Seattle Mariners’ ABS usage stacks up with rest of MLB

Related

Seattle Mariners shut out by Detroit Tigers in 8-0 lossMariners Alumni Home Run Derby will be free on streaming TVState of each MLB division after the trade deadlineSee Mariners’ 1st lineup after Taylor Ward trade, Brendan Donovan returnMariners make 7 roster moves, including Brendan Donovan’s returnM’s GM details role Seranthony Domínguez will play in bullpen