Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners Starting Pitcher Bryce Miller Scheduled For Another Live Bullpen

The third-year Mariners starter is likely to make one more live BP session before beginning a rehab assignment.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller throws during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 11 at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryce Miller throws during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 11 at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners are getting closer to a fully healthy pitching rotation for the first time this season.

Bryce Miller is the lone starter still on the injured list after George Kirby and Logan Gilbert had their own respective stints on the shelf. Miller has been on the IL since June 10 (retroactive to June 7) due to right elbow inflammation caused by a bone spur in his throwing elbow. It's his second time he's been out this season due to that ailment.

Miller received a cortisone shot to reduce inflammation in his elbow before he landed on the IL the first time, which was from May 14-31, but didn't respond well. He received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) shot before his current IL stint.

Miller threw a live bullpen on Saturday. He threw 26 pitches against infielders Miles Mastrobuoni and Ben Williamson, showed solid velocity on his fastball and, most importantly, felt good coming out of the session.

Miller was optimistic after the live BP that the next step for him would be a rehab assignment, but it looks like there will be one more hurdle for him to clear before he takes the mound in a minor league game.

"I think we're leaning as a group toward (a live BP) out here (on Friday)," Seattle general manager Justin Hollander said in a pregame interview Monday. "Mostly to build more pitch count before we send him out on a rehab assignment. Just a little easier to control in a live setting than it is in a traditional Triple-A game setting."

Hollander didn't know at the time of the interview whether Miller would miss the team's road trip and throw the live BP at T-Mobile Park or if he would do it on the road with the club. The Mariners will be at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif., on Friday.

Miller has a 5.73 ERA this season with 39 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched across 10 starts. He had a 2.94 ERA with 171 strikeouts in 180.1 innings across 31 starts the previous season.

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