Mariners stick with piggyback plan for Bryce Miller, Luis Castillo for now
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In two turns through the Mariners' piggyback pitching plan, Luis Castillo and Bryce Miller have combined for a 2.12 ERA, allowing four runs on 10 hits, with five walks and 21 strikeouts in 17 combined innings.
From a results standpoint, the piggyback plan has been nearly flawless.
There has, however, been disconnect in how the plan has been presented to Castillo and Miller, both of whom expressed frustration during (and after) a 9-2 victory over the Athletics on Monday.
On Tuesday, Mariners manager Dan Wilson and pitching coach Pete Woodworth met with Castillo and Miller, and club president Jerry Dipoto followed up with each pitcher separately to provide clarity on the situation and attempt to get everyone on the same page with the plan.
While still not an ideal solution," Dipoto said, "I am confident that we were able to more clearly communicate the current situation and plan moving forward.
The piggyback will continue for at least one more turn through the rotation, and both pitchers were informed that Miller will start Sunday's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Castillo will follow out of the bullpen.
"Certainly, communicating it and everybody understanding is paramount, for sure," Wilson said Tuesday afternoon.
Miller's return from an oblique injury earlier this month gave the Mariners six healthy starting pitchers, and Dipoto explained earlier this month that the club wants to keep all six stretched out as starters and not relegate one starter to a full-time bullpen role.
Having six healthy and productive starters is a luxury for most major-league teams, and the idea that five of them - or even all six - will remain healthy and productive through the duration of the season is hardly a sure bet.
With a stretch of 13 games in 13 days through May 20, the club elected to go with a six-man rotation one time through, then implemented the piggyback plan with Castillo and Miller the last two times through.
Castillo started Monday night and threw four scoreless innings against the A's - his best start in nearly two months - and he was visibly upset in the dugout when Wilson told him he'd be taken out after those four innings.
Miller then came in and closed out the final five innings to earn the victory.
"I thought both those guys threw the ball incredibly well," Wilson said Tuesday. "Their willingness to do it, just for the team, and the way that they're going out there is tremendous."
After the game, Miller said he wasn't comfortable with the plan and acknowledged he'd only been informed a day or two before Monday's game that he would be making his first big-league relief appearance.
A club source with knowledge of the meetings said Castillo and Miller were both receptive and appreciated the open dialogue.
Speier returns from IL
The "pinch" Gabe Speier felt in his left shoulder a few weeks ago is completely gone now, and the veteran left-handed reliever is eager to jump right back in the fold in a key late-inning role for the Mariners bullpen.
The Mariners activated Speier (left shoulder inflammation) from the injured list Tuesday, bringing their opening-day roster closer to full strength.
Right-hander Matt Brash (elbow inflammation) was activated last week, and the Mariners are hoping to have star catcher Cal Raleigh (oblique) and third baseman/utility player Brendan Donovan (groin) back sometime before mid-June.
"There's been quite a few guys who have gotten hurt this year. It's been a bummer, you know," Speier said. "We're still missing two really big bats, and those guys will be back soon hopefully. But it's great to be back and the bullpen's kind of at full strength now, I guess you could say. And so it's good to be healthy again."
Last season, Speier was one of the most valuable left-handed relievers in the majors, appearing in a career-high 76 games during the regular season and then pitching in seven of the Mariners' 12 playoff games in October.
He had a truncated offseason to prepare for his debut with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
In late April, he pitched in back-to-back games in Minnesota, throwing a combined 47 pitches. He woke up feeling the pinch in his shoulder the next day and landed on the IL a few days later.
"It was kind of lingering for a while; I'd say pretty much since the start of the season," he said.
Speier was approaching 97 mph in his last rehab appearance for Tacoma over the weekend, his best velocity all season and an indication he was ready to return.
Rookie right-hander Nick Davila was optioned to Triple-A Tacoma to make room for Speier.
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