The Seattle Mariners starting rotation was hit hard by the injury bug last year. This year, the team entered spring with a mostly clean bill of health. However, the injury bug has popped up again for one starter.

Right-handed starter Bryce Miller was shut down after one Cactus League outing due to an oblique issue and is still working his way back.

Miller threw a light bullpen of 20 pitches Sunday at around 80% strength. He hit the mound again on Wednesday for what was supposed to be a fuller bullpen but was shut down before it truly got started.

According to a report from Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 on "X," Miller experienced discomfort in his oblique which cut the bullpen short before it got to "full intent."

According to Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, via Drayer's report, Miller won't be shut down from throwing despite the setback.

Miller was instructed to inform the coaches and trainers if he was feeling off and he followed that instruction.

The former Texas A&M product has spent most of the last year dealing with injuries. Last season, he had two separate stints on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation caused by a bone spur.

Miller was limited to 18 starts because of his respective IL stints. He posted a 5.68 ERA and struck out 74 batters in 90.1 innings pitched. He bounced back during Seattle's postseason run and had a 2.51 ERA and fanned nine hitters in 14.1 innings pitched across three starts.

Miller received a platelet-rich plasma injection (PRP) shot for his oblique after he was shut down and began his ramp up process.

There's just under two weeks remaining in spring training. Despite Miller not being shut down, it's still unlikely that he'll return to the mound in a game capacity by the time the regular season begins.

With Miller's status for Opening Day now in doubt, there's a question over who could potentially fill in for him on the rotation.

The odds-on favorite is Emerson Hancock, who has opened the regular season each of the last two years filling in injured pitchers Bryan Woo and George Kirby.

Hancock transitioned to a bullpen role last year and it's still undecided whether he'll throw out of the bullpen, the rotation or both this season.

Seattle also could opt to go for Cooper Criswell, who's had a solid spring, or top 100 prospects Kade Anderson or Ryan Sloan, to fill Miller's spot in the bullpen.

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