Seattle Mariners place starter Bryce Miller on 15-day injured list

It has been an uncharacteristically rough start to the season for Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller, and it will now see him become the third member of the team’s vaunted starting rotation to land on the injured list.

More: Mariners’ Bryce Miller says injury has been ongoing issue

The Mariners placed Miller on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation on Wednesday. Left-hander Jhonathan Díaz has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma to take his place on the roster.

There is good news, though. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander joined Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy on Wednesday right after Miller’s placement on the IL was announced, and he said the team expects Miller will be able to return around the minimum 15 days.

“We don’t think it’s serious,” Hollander said. “… We want to do the right thing for Bryce and make sure we get this taken care of.”

Hollander added that Miller’s inflammation is in the back of his elbow, not in the front where a UCL injury would be a concern, and that Miller had a cortisone shot in the area Tuesday.

#Mariners GM Justin Hollander discusses Bryce Miller's injury and provides an injury update on pitchers George Kirby & Logan Gilbert. @michaelbumpus5 x @StacyRost

📰: https://t.co/1Te6CoTwkZ pic.twitter.com/1ZWwYYL1A1

— Seattle Sports (@SeattleSports) May 14, 2025

Miller has a 5.22 ERA with 35 strikeouts to 21 walks over eight starts this season, covering 39 2/3 innings. The 26-year-old righty was a standout for the M’s in 2024, his second year in the big leagues and first full MLB season, going 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 0.976 WHIP over 31 starts (180 1/3 innings).

Miller’s velocity has been down this season – his four-seam fastball averaged 95.2 mph in 2024 per Statcast but is averaging 94.4 this year – and he went as far as to say “I haven’t felt like myself, body-wise and physically” after giving up seven runs on eight hits and two walks over five innings in a 9-1 Mariners loss Sunday to the Toronto Blue Jays.

Behind Bryce Miller’s slow start could be a slower fastball

All-Star pitchers Logan Gilbert and George Kirby are also currently on the injured list for the Mariners.

Kirby, who was shut down in spring training and began the year on the IL with shoulder inflammation, has pitched twice on a rehab assignment with Tacoma. Hollander has said Kirby would need at least three appearances in the minors before returning to the M’s, and told Bump and Stacy that his next outing will be Friday.

Gilbert is on the IL with a right flexor strain and last pitched on April 25 against Miami, but he had his first bullpen session since the injury on Tuesday at T-Mobile Park, and all seemed to go well. There’s no timetable for when Gilbert could return, but he appears to be on the right track. The fifth-year righty has a 2.37 ERA and 0.791 WHIP in six starts for the M’s this season.

Wednesday: New updates from Mariners GM on Kirby, Gilbert

Despite the injury woes for the rotation, the Mariners enter Wednesday with a 23-18 record, which leads the Athletics by 1 1/2 games for the AL West lead.

Díaz, 28, has appeared in one game for the Mariners this season, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings on April 1 against Detroit. He pitched in five games including one start for Seattle last year, and has 17 MLB appearances including seven starts dating back to 2021. He was with the Los Angeles Angels from 2021-23.

This year with Tacoma, Díaz has pitched in seven games, including six starts. He has a 5.87 ERA and 1.467 WHIP with the Rainiers.

The Mariners wrap up a three-game series against the New York Yankees and six-game homestand at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at noon with the pregame show.

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