The M's have reportedly worked to get Miller and Luis Castillo on the same page with the organization, but will this whole thing have a long-lasting affect? We asked Buster Olney of ESPN on the latest 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast.
The Seattle Mariners enter Wednesday's contest against the Athletics at 27-29 and winners of two straight games against their division rivals. With a win on Wednesday, the M's will vault over the A's and into first place in the mediocre American League West, however, all anyone really wants to talk about is the team's questionable "piggyback" pitching strategy.
As you by well know, the M's have had Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo split games on May 19 against the Chicago White Sox and May 25 against the A's. The decision has been made to keep both pitchers stretched out, both pitchers healthy and both pitchers happy.
And while the on-field results have worked well, both players have clearly been frustrated by the plan, so much so that multiple meetings with each pitcher were held on Tuesday.
And though those meetings reportedly left both pitchers in a better place, there does remain one real question: Could this whole situation actually sour the way that Miller feels about the organization? Could it change the calculus for him moving forward, even though he's still got 3.5 years left on his contract?
We spoke with ESPN MLB Insider Buster Olney on the most recent 'Refuse to Lose Territory' podcast to get his thoughts:
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller (50) walks to the dugout after returning the side in the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game one of the ALCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Rogers Centre. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images"It absolutely can impact a relationship. It all depends on how the player absorbs it. If the player is thinking from 30,000 feet, you know what's best for the organization, that's one perspective.
And if the player—and Bryce Miller's right in his prime years—this is the time when he's working to make the money from his career, and it's best for him personally if he starts every fifth day. Luis Castillo has largely made his money. He's in a little different situation.
So, and I've covered players who have felt both ways. I mean, you think about someone like Paul Goldschmidt, for example, okay? He's a borderline Hall of Fame player. He had opportunities to maybe make more money someplace else and re-sign with the Yankees, but he liked playing on the Yankees, and he felt like, "This is the team I want to be on." So he accepted a lesser role to be on the Yankees this year, and he's really thriving.
Other players might land in a different spot. Other players might be like, "I want a full-time role." I don't think either perspective is wrong.
But it 100 percent can affect a player's relationship with the team. Bryce, I thought the other day watching that postgame interview, I thought he was dead honest. He told you how he felt.
And if he were to land afterward on, "Look, I'm going to do everything I can to make it work within the team," you'd understand that. And if he continues to express discomfort, that's okay too, because this is a big time in his career, if that makes sense."
You can listen to the full conversation with Olney here, or you can watch the episode on YouTube!
The Mariners will deploy the strategy again on Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks with Miller starting.
Wednesday's game against the A's is at 12:10 p.m. PT.
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