The Seattle Mariners received several encouraging injury updates this week, highlighted by continued progress from starting pitcher Bryce Miller, who appears to be nearing a return to the major league rotation.
According to Mariners general manager Justin Hollander, Miller is scheduled to make his next rehab start Wednesday with Triple-A Tacoma as he continues his recovery from a left oblique strain that landed him on the 15-day injured list to begin the season.
The right-hander has steadily progressed through his rehab assignment and delivered another strong performance in his most recent outing, tossing four scoreless innings on Thursday while allowing just two hits and two walks. He struck out four batters and needed only 53 pitches to complete the appearance.
Hollander said the organization has been pleased with Miller’s recovery and overall performance.
“Bryce is doing great,” Hollander said. “He felt strong after the outing, and the stuff looked very good.”
The next step in Miller’s buildup will be increasing his workload. Seattle hopes to stretch him to roughly 65 to 70 pitches in his upcoming start as the club continues building his stamina after he missed nearly all of spring training. Because of that lost preparation time, the Mariners are expected to use the full 30-day rehab window, placing Miller on track for a potential return to the major league roster by mid-May.
Rather than focusing solely on results, the Mariners are closely evaluating how Miller’s velocity and command hold up deeper into outings.
The club wants to ensure he can maintain his usual stuff throughout an extended workload while feeling comfortable physically and mechanically. Hollander emphasized that Seattle is being careful not to rush his timetable and will allow Miller’s progress to dictate when he returns rather than setting a rigid deadline.
In addition to Miller, the Mariners also shared updates on several other injured players moving toward returns.
Third baseman Brendan Donovan is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Arkansas on Tuesday as he works back from a left groin strain. If he progresses without setbacks, Seattle anticipates activating him ahead of next weekend’s series against the Chicago White Sox.
Outfielder Victor Robles is also nearing game action. Robles, who has been sidelined with a right pectoral strain, is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma on Sunday. He is projected to spend at least one week there before the team reevaluates his readiness. Hollander said Robles has made strong progress in his throwing program and is nearly finished with the final phase of his recovery work.
Meanwhile, the Mariners placed reliever Matt Brash on the 15-day injured list Friday with right lat inflammation. The team does not believe the issue is serious, as MRI results reportedly showed no structural damage. However, Seattle chose to take a cautious approach with the hard-throwing reliever in hopes of avoiding a more significant setback later in the season.
The news was less positive for right-hander Carlos Vargas, who suffered a minor setback in his throwing program while recovering from a right lat strain. Vargas will need to restart part of his progression once he resumes mound work, though the Mariners do not currently expect the setback to dramatically alter his timeline.
Finally, utility player Miles Mastrobuoni remains weeks away from returning. The team hopes he can begin another rehab assignment in approximately three weeks after suffering a second calf injury during his initial rehab process.
With multiple contributors progressing toward returns, the Mariners may soon receive a significant boost to both their pitching staff and lineup depth in the coming weeks.
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