Bryce Miller’s ALCS Game 1 start proves he can help carry Mariners to World Series

Bryce Miller's season was less than ideal. Recurring issues with his elbow limited him to just 18 starts and across the 90.1 innings he pitched, he posted an uncharacteristic 5.68 ERA with a 5.17 FIP. After a sophomore season which saw him post a 2.94 ERA over 180.1 innings and become the most valuable pitcher on the team by rWAR (3.4), it was a disappointing step back to say the least.

Despite his lackluster numbers on the year, he was still included on the postseason roster and came in with a positive attitude, volunteering to do whatever was necessary for the team, even if that meant coming out of the bullpen. His first taste of playoff action came as the starter in Game 4 of the Division Series. Although it ultimately ended in a loss, Miller pitched well enough, giving up two earned runs in 4.1 innings but with just two strikeouts, he was hardly dominant. But if his most recent outing for the team is any indication of what's to come, he could still be a crucial part of the Mariners' World Series picture.

Bryce Miller had a very strong outing against the Blue Jays in ALCS Game 1

The Blue Jays have been one of the best teams in baseball and that's thanks largely to their offense which combined for a .760 OPS (3rd in MLB) during the regular season and a .868 OPS in the postseason thus far. It wasn't an easy task and when Bryce Miller was given the ball to start the series, there were definitely some concerns. His outing got off to a rocky start but after giving up a solo home run to George Springer on his first pitch of the game, Miller settled in nicely, pitching six innings and limiting the Blue Jays to just the one run.

Aside from making a quality start, perhaps the most important part of this outing was how much additional time it gave to his teammates to recover. In case you missed it, the Mariners recently engaged in 15-inning test of endurance to get to the Championship Series and in that game, Seattle deployed seven pitchers, three of whom were starters (George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo). With Bryan Woo activated but still needing time to get fully ramped up, Bryce Miller would need to eat as many innings as possible to avoid straining the team's already limited pitching resources. While he needed 27 pitches just to get through the first inning, he needed a total of just 49 pitches for the subsequent five, a masterclass in efficiency.

Bryce Miller may not have had the same regular season success as he did in 2024 but he's already demonstrated that he's capable of pitching at the same level when the stakes are the highest. With pitching resources already constrained in what's set to be a grueling path to the World Series, every arm matters and Miller's could be the difference between an early exit and making history.