Bryce Miller continued to take massive steps forward in his latest outing with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers.
The Seattle Mariners will be returning home for the start of a three-game series against the Kansas City Royals at 6:45 p.m. PT on Friday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
The Mariners are making a triumphant return to the Emerald City after a 5-1 six-game road trip, including series wins against the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins, respectively.
The successful road trip improved Seattle's overall record to 16-16 on the season and the squad is trending to be in good shape when starting pitcher Bryce Miller makes his return.
Miller began the year on the 15-day injured list due to a left oblique strain he suffered in spring training. The 27-year-old began his rehab assignment April 18 with the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers and made his second rehab start with the High-A Everett AquaSox on April 24.
Miller was back on the mound for his third overall rehab outing, and second with the Rainiers, on Thursday and took a massive step forward.
In four innings of work, the former Texas A&M product struck out four batters, walked two and allowed two hits. He didn't allow an earned run, marking his second-straight rehab outing where he didn't allow a score.
Miller threw 53 pitches (36 strikes) and generated 10 whiffs.
As he has throughout his rehab outing, Miller's four-seam fastball averaged in the 95-98 mph range. It topped out at 98.8 mph, which would mark a new career-high if he's able to replicate it at the major league level.
Across his rehab assignment, Miller has posted a 3.12 ERA and has fanned 12 batters across 8.2 innings pitched.
Miller's latest injury was the latest in a series of setbacks over the last calendar year. He was on the injured list two separate times last season due to right elbow inflammation.
The two injured list stints in 2025 limited Miller to just 18 starts. He finished out the regular season with a 5.68 ERA and struck out 74 hitters in 90.1 innings pitched.
The right-handed pitcher bounced back and was the team's most effective starting pitcher in the postseason, which saw the M's make their first American League Championship Series since 2001. Miller finished the playoffs with a 2.51 ERA and nine fanned batters in 14.1 innings pitched across three starts.
Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller throws during an American League Championship Series game against the Toronto Blue Jays on Oct. 17 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. | Stephen Brashear/Imagn Images.The Mariners' starting rotation currently has a 3.88 ERA, which ranks eighth in the majors and sixth in the American League.
If Miller is able to get through his rehab assignment on his current trajectory and is able to put his injury concerns behind him, he could provide a big boost and help Seattle retake the crown of the best rotation in the AL.
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