Jerry Dipoto's piggyback explanation ignores Mariners elephant in the room

When the Mariners first confirmed they were going with a piggyback strategy involving Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller, plenty of people were against it. Heck, Dave 'Softy' Mahler hated just saying the name of the strategy, as critics questioned why it was being deployed. Well, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto finally shed some light on the rationale, and it's not an entirely satisfactory explanation.

What really stood out when the Mariners initially used the piggyback strategy, was Castillo and Miller were unhappy with the arrangement. Both were visibly frustrated and Miller admitted in one interview that they had been left somewhat in the dark about the whole situation. Dipoto and M's manager Dan Wilson subsequently had a sit-down with them to clear the air and get everyone on the same page, but the fact this wasn't done in the first place was alarming.

The rest of us were provided some insight last week, when Dipoto went on The Wheelhouse podcast for the first time this year. He got into the six starters and the piggyback situation around the middle of the interview, basically saying it was the best way to keep Castillo stretched out and on some semblance of a starters' routine.

Here's the relevant clip for ease of reference:

It certainly made for some compelling listening and it's always appreciated when the Mariners front office provides some insight. Further, as much as a lot of people weren't fans of the piggyback move, it DID work, ending with the ideal outcome the last time around of both pitchers throwing 5.0 innings in a 3-2 win versus the Diamondbacks at the end May.

And yet, Dipoto's explanation still left a somewhat bitter taste in the mouth.

Never mind just Luis Castillo. What about considering the impact on Bryce Miller as well?!

Again, we genuinely appreciate the explanation, and yet, it was a bit one-sided. Due to Dipoto and Wilson focusing on Castillo, it meant they effectively ignored Miller's side of the situation. Basically, splitting duties between the two compromised his usage, which just didn't seem right.

The reality is that since Miller has come back from his left oblique strain, he's been the best starter in the Mariners rotation, highlighted (easily) by the lowest ERA, FIP and WHIP. Heck, he's been one of the top pitchers in baseball full stop since returning, with his FanGraphs pitching+ of 119 ranking tied-13th in the majors.

Look, we get that the approach by the Mariners was a way to keep Miller's pitch count in check after coming off the Injured List. At the same time though, it wasn't an arm issue which sidelined him in the first place. Plus, he threw more pitches in his first outing back than he did in two of his three piggyback assignments.

Ultimately, all's well that ends well, but limiting Miller's innings just to keep Castillo's leash extended was always a flawed idea. You can make the case Miller is near the top of the totem pole when it comes to talent in the rotation, while "The Rock" has been on the decline since his All-Star campaign in 2023. Whenever the Mariners end the current six-man rotation setup, it would be a massive mistake to limit Miller's usage again.

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