The Seattle Mariners starting pitcher doesn't have an extensive workload this season, but his performance on the field has been worthy of the Midsummer Classic.
SEATTLE — When the 2026 All-Star Game rosters were announced Saturday, the Seattle Mariners only had one representative: outfielder Randy Arozarena.
Arozarena's selection to the Midsummer Classic was the third in his career and his second straight.
The Mariners will likely get more All-Stars selected in the coming days as players ultimately pull out of the Midsummer Classic due to injuries or wanting to take a full week's rest.
If there is a spot available on the American League pitching staff, then starting pitcher Bryce Miller should be on the shortlist of potential replacements.
Miller had a delayed start to the year due to a left oblique strain he suffered in spring training that left him out of action until May 13.
Since his season debut, he's looked like one of the best starting pitchers in the major leagues.
Miller's posted a 1.71 ERA and has struck out 62 batters in 52.2 innings pitched across nine appearances (eight starts). In his latest outing, he helped guide Seattle to a 1-0 win against the Los Angeles Angels on Thursday. He fanned eight and allowed two hits in seven innings of work.
"Week after week, I feel like I've really dominated a lot of lineups so far," Miller said in a postgame interview Thursday. "Continuing to prove how good my stuff is and how good that I am whenever I'm healthy, it's been a lot of fun. That's who I've always thought that I was."
Miller's delayed start to the year came after a 2025 that was plagued with ailments.
The former Texas A&M product had two stints on the injured list last season due to right elbow inflammation related to a bone spur. He finished out the regular season with a 5.68 ERA and struck out 74 batters in 90.1 innings of work across 18 starts — a far cry from his sub-3.00 ERA '24 where he looked like one of the best pitchers in the AL in the second half.
In his addition to his surface numbers, Miller's advanced numbers have shown that his 2026 is the natural progression of where he ended 2024.
Per Baseball Savant, Miller's expected ERA (2.09), chase rate (38.4%), strikeout rate (33.2%), walk rate (2.7%) and hard-hit rate (27.5%) all rank in the 97th percentile or better.
Out of the seven pitches in Miller's arsenal, hitters are averaging over .200 on just one. Batters are hitting .278 against his slider.
Due to his delayed start, Miller doesn't have the innings under his belt as other starters.
However, Miller has had enough outings this season to show his performance isn't simply a string of good luck. The fact Miller has had to navigate an injury to start the season, back-and-forth piggyback outings and a six-man rotation since his return is further evidence of that.
Miller is also the only starting pitcher on the rotation aside from Emerson Hancock (who's been the team's No. 6 starter for the last three seasons and is in the midst of a career-best year in his own right) to not make the All-Star Game.
His innings simply might not be enough to get him to the Midsummer Classic. But if the All-Star Break comes and goes without Miller representing the American League, it won't be because he's not deserving.
"I don't know," Miller said. "It's definitely a career milestone for everybody to make the All-Star team. After I missed, what seven starts or whatever to start the year, it hasn't even crossed my mind. Just kind of figured, didn't have a chance. But if they want to put me in there, I'd be super grateful. ... Going into this season, it's definitely a goal. ... Nobody wants to start on the IL but it's almost like a blessing in disguise for me, because I was able to not worry about — 'oh, I need to have certain numbers by this date to get these awards' and everything. Whatever happens, whatever innings I end up with, I got to go out every week, pitch the best that I can and we'll see what we end up with by the end of the year."
For what it's worth, Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski made the All-Star Game last season with just a handful of appearances under his belt.
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