Analysis: Why Continue Piggyback When Tactic Lacks Intended Benefit?
From the score of the game itself, the Mariners’ performance on Monday against the A’s was as good as they could hope for. Seattle took advantage of some defensive miscues in the top of the third to scratch across a pair of runs before the wheels flew off Sacramento starter Aaron Civale’s bus with two outs and the team wound up with a 6-0 lead before the end of the frame and a 9-2 win by the end of the game.
But that explosion of runs papered over some clear tension as the team continued to use its tactic of piggybacking two of their six starters. To be abundantly clear, the tension itself isn’t the main reason why the idea is flawed - that would be the self-imposed constraints on player usage - but given that it seems to have been adopted in order for such tension to be avoided, the uneasiness was notable and instructive.
Bryce Miller had spun a gem given his pitch limitations on Tuesday, May 19, going 5 ⅔ innings in the first of Seattle’s attempted piggybacked starts. The game fell apart in the ninth as the M’s tried to stretch the piggyback beyond the point where it made sense, but Miller’s performance itself during that game was a good sign.
Mariners Release Opening Day Roster; Crawford, Miller Notably Absent with Injury
With opening day right around the corner for the Seattle Mariners - at 7:10 p.m. Pacific on Thursday against the Guardians - the team has released its first 26-man roster for the 2026 season. The top of the depth chart, of course, is very much all over the M’s roster, from returning superstars in Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez to new additions like Brendan Donovan and Jose A. Ferrer.
But of course it is not all sunshine and roses for the defending AL West champions. Longtime shortstop J.P. Crawford is out for the beginning of the year with a shoulder injury while Bryce Miller is working through an injury of his own, leaving holes in the middle infield and the back of the rotation. Leo Rivas is going to get some playing time at short in the meantime (and perhaps Cole Young might swivel
Assessing Three March Mariner Concerns Ahead of 2026 Regular Season
If the Seattle Mariners started the 2026 regular season 6-16-1 (ignore the tie), things would probably be nearing panic mode in T-Mobile Park. But given that it’s Spring Training, the record isn’t all that concerning as Opening Day begins. But from injury concerns to slow starts for stars, there are some points of worry for the M’s as the season comes into view. Just how worrying are these signs, however? Is there any meaning to be derived from them?
Concern 1: Injury questions for players up and down the roster.
Concern level: 4/10
The most-discussed injury question for the upcoming season has been Bryce Miller, and it seems likely by this point that he won’t be ready to start the regular season. The Mariners have Emerson Hancock and Cooper Criswell both available to fill in the fifth starter role - and I personally expect they’ll start with Hancock, with Criswell in the tank if Hancock again struggles as a starter - but they at least have some good indications due to both players’ performance in Spring Training. That doesn’t necessarily mean much for the regular season, especially in the top-line stats such as ERA and FIP, but the M’s have to be impressed with Hancock’s feel for the ball.
Mariners Postseason Hero Bryce Miller Once Again Dealing With Injury Bug
The worst fear of any baseball team with high expectations is injuries. Especially when those injuries hit the starting pitching. The starting rotation is a delicate ecosystem on any team.
For the Seattle Mariners, Bryce Miller struggled through most of the 2025 season. It was a year of stops and starts, totaling in 18 starts, with just eight coming after June 6. Miller dealt with right elbow inflammation, including a bone spur that required time off. When he did pitch, he wasn’t his usual effective self, posting a 4-6 record with a 5.68 ERA, 74 strikeouts, and a 1.41 WHIP over 90 1/3 innings. His strikeout rate dropped significantly, and advanced metrics showed regression with higher hard-hit rates and an elevated FIP.
Simply put, there was a clear struggle with his health throughout last season that undoubtedly impacted his performance.
Three X-Factors in Mariners’ Success For 2026
For the Seattle Mariners to return to the playoffs in 2026, it’s obvious which usual suspects have to have strong seasons. Cal Raleigh, while unfair to be expected to mash 60 homers again, needs to be among the league leaders in home runs with a slugging percentage at least near .500. Julio Rodriguez needs to be a 30-30 threat again (30 home runs/30 stolen bases). The top three of the rotation need to be reliable and healthy. Andres Muñoz needs to keep throwing gas and stay healthy as well. That’s all a given.
But to get further than the Divisional Round this time around, Seattle will need contributions from other sources to get over the top. Which X-Factors, if they perform perhaps better than expected, could drive the Mariners finally to their first World Series berth?
Mariners Repeat or Astros Return; Who is AL West’s Deadliest Warrior? Analyzing Division as 2026 Season Approaches
Ever since the Mariners’ dramatic September sweep on Houston’s home ground that all but sealed the division, 2026 has shaped up to be a close rematch between the two teams. Which team, if any, has the edge going into the season?
Does Mariners’ Bryce Miller Have Brighter Days Ahead after Injury-Laden 2025 Slump?
After Mariners starter Bryce Miller dealt with a decline in production downstream of his elbow inflammation in 2025, what can be expected of the Texan right-hander? What might his role be in a 2026 team hungry for a championship?
Geno Breaks Out Rye Bread and Mustard in Game 5 Thriller; M’s One Win Away from Fall Classic
With their backs to the wall for what seemed like the 100th time in 2025, the Seattle Mariners came up big in a Game 5 for the history books. How did the M’s rise again from the grave on Friday afternoon?
Bryce Miller to Start Game 5 for Mariners, Woo Available from Bullpen
Mariners manager Dan Wilson announced that Bryce Miller will get the ball for Game 5, while team ace Bryan Woo will be one of the team’s bullpen options in what could be their final home game of 2025. The decision indicates some continued caution around Woo following his injury in Houston.
Analysis: Mariners’ Painted Pitches Weakened Blue Jays Bats in Games 1 & 2
The odd silence from the Blue Jays’ bats in the first two games of the ALCS might seem strange, but when you look at where the Mariners have been pitching, Seattle’s shutdown statements begin to become clear.
WATCH: How Mariners Stymied Blue Jays’ Bats to Build 2-0 ALCS Lead
Bucking the odds after a 15-inning win in Game 5 of the ALDS to beat the Tigers, the Mariners came to Toronto off of short rest and shut down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays to take a 2-0 lead in the ALCS. How has the pitching staff gotten it done for Seattle?
Rapid Reaction: M’s Arms Excel Again; Raleigh, Polanco Produce Enough for 3-1 ALCS Game 1 Win
Few expected that a Blue Jays team coming off an offensive firestorm would be all but shut down, but that’s what Bryce Miller and the Mariners did on Sunday night’s opener. How did Seattle strike ahead in Game 1?
Seven-Game Set Begins in Toronto: Pitching Matchups for Games 1-3 of M’s-Jays ALCS
The Mariners’ most important series in 24 years begins on Sunday night as the team goes on the road to Toronto. How do Seattle’s short-rested starters match up against the first three guys the Blue Jays will offer?
WATCH: Can Seattle Mariners Beat Tarik Skubal-led Tigers in ALDS Game 5?
The Detroit Tigers went to town on the Mariners bullpen on Wednesday afternoon, forcing a winner-take-all ALDS Game 5 in Seattle. Can the M’s defeat the best pitcher in the AL and punch their ticket to the ALCS?
Rapid Reaction: Tigers Kick Miller, Maul Mariner Bullpen; M’s Forced to Game 5 against Skubal
Seattle couldn’t get it done on Wednesday, dropping the chance to put the Tigers to bed in their own ballpark as Detroit forced Game 5 in Seattle. What made the tables turn so quickly in the back half of Game 4?
‘Vintage’ Logan Gilbert, ‘Grind-‘Em-Out’ At-Bats Prove Pivotal in Mariners’ Game 3 Rain-Delayed Victory
Despite two close battles at home, the Mariners’ relatively more comfortable Tuesday triumph showcased what often turns Seattle’s solid team into an excellent one.
Absent Ace? How Bryan Woo’s Availability Affects M’s ALDS Starting Rotation Scenarios
Bryan Woo’s injury status is the biggest “known unknown” going into the Mariners’ ALDS against the Tigers. How might the rotation look in the series for each of Woo’s availability possibilities?
Kershaw Ends Career with Gem; Mariners Fall to Dodgers 6-1 in Regular Season Finale
The last game of the 2025 season has come and gone for the Seattle Mariners. The result may have mattered little, but there were curtain calls and standing ovations aplenty as legends old and new finished out their years.
CLINCHED: Seattle Mariners Take 4-3 Comeback Win vs. Rockies, Secure Postseason Berth
For the second time in four years, the Seattle Mariners are going to the postseason, taking a comeback win to clinch their berth. And who else but one of their newest yet most beloved heroes to do the final honors?
Rare Bullpen Blowup Sinks Mariners’ Winning Streak in 7-5 Loss to Royals
Seattle’s vaunted 10-game winning streak has come to a close, with Mariners both present and former playing key roles in the Wednesday drama. What happened to stymie Seattle’s fortunes in game two?
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