The Seattle Mariners starting rotation was hit hard with the injury bug in 2025.

A year after being the only rotation in baseball with four pitchers to start 30 or more games, four Mariners starters missed time in '25.

The worst recipient of all was right-handed starter Bryce Miller.

Miller posted a 5.68 ERA and struck out 74 batters in 90.1 innings pitched across 18 starts.

The former Texas A&M hurler's limited action on the mound was due to two respective stints on the 15-day injured list.

Miller's time out was due to right elbow inflammation he suffered as a result of a bone spur. He was out of action from May 12-31 and June 7-Aug. 19 respectively.

Despite the frustrations, Miller bounced back for Seattle's franchise-best postseason run. He had the best ERA among the team's starters in the playoffs. He had a 2.51 ERA and fanned nine batters in 14.1 innings pitched across three starts.

Before the offseason, there was speculation Miller would have to undergo an operation to shave the spur in his elbow. He avoided the procedure and entered this spring with a whole offseason of ramp-up and work under his belt.

He's said repeatedly at spring training that he feels 100 percent now.

The 27-year-old took the mound for his first Cactus League game of 2026 on Thursday and showed impressive stuff in his limited action.

In 1.1 innings, Miller struck out one batter, didn't issue a walk and allowed three hits but no earned runs.

Miller threw 21 pitches of his outings, six of which were four-seam fastballs. His average velocity with his fastball was 97.3 miles per hour according to Baseball Savant, up 2.5 mph from his 2025 average of 94.8.

Miller threw his two-seam fastball (sinker) twice and averaged 97.5 mph, up three miles per hour from his '25 average.

In addition to his two fastballs, Miller also offered his sweeper, splitter, knuckle curve and slider multiple times. His one strikeout was with his splitter, which he generated two-of-three whiffs with.

All of Miller's six pitches had above-average stuff+ (stuff-plus) according to stats provided by Thomas Nestico (@TJStats on "X").

Miller's four-seamer (114 stuff+) and slider (110 stuff+) were his best-graded pitches. According to the stuff+ metric, 100 is an average score.

Miller is less than two years removed from being one of the best pitchers in the American League from a statistical standpoint. In the second half of the 2024 season (July 15-Sept. 30) Miller had a 1.89 ERA and struck out 73 batters in 71.1 innings pitched across 12 starts.

One 1.1-inning outing isn't an indication of how his 2026 will go. But if it's a sign of things to come, Miller seems ready to return to his 2024 form.

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