Bryce Miller: Everything you need to know

Miller (1-0) earned the win over the Athletics on Monday, allowing two runs on five hits and no walks while striking out four batters over five bulk-relief innings. Seattle went with the unorthodox pairing of Luis Castillo and Miller for Monday's contest. Castillo was excellent in tossing four scoreless innings, but Miller ended up throwing more pitches (83 to 68) and benefitted by being the pitcher of record despite entering with a hearty 7-0 lead. Miller is still somewhat working his way back after missing the early part of the season due to an oblique injury, but he's completed at least five innings and thrown at least 72 pitches in each of his three outings. It remains to be seen if the pairing of Miller and Castillo will continue moving forward, but Miller has thrived regardless of his role this season, posting a 2.25 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 14:2 K:BB through 16 innings.

Mariners manager Dan Wilson said that Miller will pitch out of the bullpen behind starter Luis Castillo in Monday's game against the Athletics in Sacramento, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports. Since being activated May 13 following a season-opening stint on the injured list, Miller has looked sharp over his first two starts, covering 5.1 and 5.2 innings in those outings while posting a collective 1.64 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 10:2 K:BB. The Mariners used Castillo for 2.1 innings out of the bullpen in Miller's latter start, and while the two will work in tandem once again Monday, the order that they pitch will be reversed. Seattle will likely let Castillo work a little bit longer in a starting role than he did as a reliever his last time out, but Miller could still end up covering the bulk of the innings, given that he's been the better performer of the two thus far. Pitching out of the bullpen may also increase Miller's odds of earning his first win of the season, after the Mariners held him to fewer than 85 pitches as a starter in both of his previous two starts.

Miller allowed one hit and one walk while striking out seven over 5.2 scoreless innings in a no-decision versus the White Sox on Tuesday. Miller threw 50 of 72 pitches for strikes, a drop from the 81 pitches he threw in his season debut. Miller was in line for the win, but Luis Castillo and Andres Munoz combined to give up the one-run lead in the ninth inning. With two runs allowed on nine hits and two walks over 11 innings across two starts, Miller has looked superb since returning from an oblique strain. He's done well enough to earn another start as the Mariners continue to try to set their rotation in some way. Miller is tentatively lined up to pitch on the road against the Athletics in some capacity early next week.