If the Seattle Mariners bring back the piggyback setup, the move makes the most sense with Kade Anderson in front and Bryce Miller behind him.
Seattle has already experimented with the idea once this season, and the club is again in a place where it could make sense. Anderson is up, Bryan Woo and Miller are still on hand despite recent vague injury scares, and the Mariners suddenly have six usable starting pitchers.
The club has not committed to reviving the arrangement, but Justin Hollander left the door open Monday when he did not shut down the possibility in front of the media, including Adam Jude of The Seattle Times. And while the first version of the piggyback drew plenty of awkward attention, it produced real results.
The Miller-Luis Castillo pairing was used three times from May 19 through May 31 and posted a 1.67 ERA. Over that same stretch, Seattle’s staff led MLB with a 2.45 ERA.
Anderson looks like the cleanest fit to start it off.
The 22-year-old has already logged 99 innings this season, putting him close to the 119 innings he threw in his final year at LSU before Seattle selected him No. 3 in the 2025 draft. He is now the Mariners’ No. 1 prospect, and across 19 total appearances at Double-A and in the majors, he has topped out at 81 pitches. In his major league debut Saturday, fatigue started to show as his pitch count climbed.
A piggyback would let Seattle work within those limits instead of pushing past them. It would also help avoid a third trip through the order, which is where things got away from Anderson in his debut. Pete Crow-Armstrong, Alex Bregman and Michael Busch all connected for extra-base hits in the sixth inning.
There is also the handedness factor. Anderson throws left-handed, which naturally invites opponents to load up with right-handed bats. The Cubs are the exception in a season where teams have generally performed better against lefties than righties, with clubs producing a 105 wRC+ against left-handers and a 98 wRC+ against right-handers.
Miller, meanwhile, looks like the ideal follow-up.
At this point, taking him out of a traditional starting role may actually help the Mariners. After getting hit hard by the Cubs on Sunday, Miller acknowledged he has been dealing with a lat issue that has bothered him since July 24. He called it minor, but that date also lines up with a six-start stretch in which he has been tagged for a 7.92 ERA.
The stuff is still there, which is the encouraging part. The problem is what happens as he works deeper into games.
Miller has held hitters under a .700 OPS through pitch No. 75, but after pitch No. 76, they have posted an .808 OPS against him. His fastball averages 96.2 mph in the first inning, then falls to 94.8 mph by the fifth.
That makes it easy to imagine Miller coming in behind Anderson and throwing quality innings in relief, much like Castillo did when he followed Miller in May. If that version shows up again, any complaints about the role will be easier to swallow if the Mariners get the same kind of payoff the first time around.
In Other News...
Jarred Kelenic Just Hit Another Painful Career Crossroads
Jarred Kelenic is back on the open market after another turn through the roster churn that has defined much of his recent career. The Texas Rangers designated him for assignment, he cleared waivers and then elected free agency, adding another stop to a journey that has now included multiple clubs and more than one reset this year. For a player once viewed as a potential long-term middle-of-the-order bat, the pattern has become hard to ignore: the tools have shown up in stretches, but the major league production has not stayed attached.
The frustrating part for any team still intrigued by Kelenic is that the underlying appeal has not vanished. He has been hitting well in the minors recently, which is why there is still a chance another organization will see enough to take the next shot. But after failing to carry that success onto the big stage, he is again in the position of trying to convince a club that the next opportunity will look different from the last few. [Read more 🡒]
Mariners Face A September Roster Choice That Could Sway Their Playoff Push
The Mariners are getting close to the September 1 roster expansion, and the timing matters with the club still in the thick of a playoff chase. Seattle is expected to add one pitcher and one position player, giving the front office a chance to deepen a roster that has had to navigate the grind of the summer while trying to stay within striking distance in the American League race.
Right-hander Cooper Criswell is lined up to join the pitching side after finishing his rehab work, but the position-player call is less settled. Brendan Donovans concussion recovery factors into the decision, and the team has several options to weigh as it looks for the right balance of depth and flexibility. With Seattle sitting at 64-69 and Fangraphs giving it about a 45 percent shot at the postseason, these final roster choices could wind up mattering more than a typical September shuffle. [Read more 🡒]
J.P. Crawfords Return Puts A New Mariners Infield Question Front And Center
The Mariners have kept stacking encouraging results, beating the Phillies and locking down series wins against opponents that look very much like October clubs. On top of that, the roster got a familiar boost with J.P. Crawford back from the injured list, a move that gives Seattle another steady option in the middle infield as the club tries to keep its recent momentum rolling.
Crawfords return also nudges a new question into the foreground: how the Mariners will sort out their infield now that one of their most established defenders and table-setters is available again. Seattle has enjoyed the kind of depth every contender needs, but the timing of Crawfords activation means the next few lineup decisions could say a lot about how the team wants to balance defense, offense, and everyday roles down the stretch. [Read more 🡒]