Why the Mariners' best trade deadline addition could come from within

If there's one thing the Seattle Mariners have become known for over the past few years, it's the quality of their starting pitching. Through the ups and downs of disappointing bats and bullpen pieces, the rotation has remained a bedrock upon which the team has depended for its regular season success.

Seattle's starters haven't been quite as dominant, combining for a 3.93 ERA (14th in MLB) so far this year, but the majority of trade deadline rumors have revolved around upgrading the lineup. While there is plenty of available pitching talent up for grabs this year, the Mariners could already have the arm they need on their roster.

Don't count out Bryce Miller as a rotation savior for the Mariners

Last year, Bryce Miller was quietly the most valuable pitcher on the team by rWAR, reaching a mark of 3.4 and beating out Logan Gilbert (2.8) by a comfortable margin. He had a 2.94 ERA over 180.1 innings with a 3.58 FIP and a 24.3 strikeout rate.

It was an impressive step forward from his already strong rookie showing, but 2025 has been anything but smooth sailing. He's regressed in nearly every major statistical category and his ERA has ballooned to a 5.73 over his 10 starts. The elbow issues he has been dealing with all year haven't exactly helped, but at least he's making good progress on the road to recovery.

After taking him off the injured list prematurely in late May, it seems that the Mariners are taking a more cautious approach this time around. They plan on giving him another chance to face live hitters before officially starting a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma, where his primary focus will be getting comfortable with higher pitch counts. Mariners general manager Justin Hollander stated that Miller won't be ready to return to the big leagues until he's ready to throw 80 pitches or more per outing, a level of stamina that won't be achieved overnight.

It's unclear as to how much of a positive impact he'll be able to have on the team's playoff push, especially since Seattle has been rumored to be in search of at least some starting pitchers. However, with the upside that he brings to the table and the fact that he'd come at no prospect cost, a return to form for Bryce Miller shouldn't be taken off the table just yet.

At his best, he can be just as effective as marquee names like George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Bryan Woo. He hasn't quite gotten there yet this year but with a couple of months left in the season, he still has a chance to reach the peak of his powers and be Seattle's X-factor.