Bryce Miller’s K-rate has absolutely cratered, dropping to a startling 15 percent over his last seven starts. That’s a massive shift from the 33.2 percent he was flashing in his first nine games this season, and it’s a huge question mark hanging over the Mariners as they face the Chicago Cubs today at T-Mobile Park.
What’s Up With Miller’s Arm?
Miller was pitching lights-out until early July, but then things took a nosedive. He missed the first six weeks of the season with bone spurs, and while his first nine appearances (eight starts) showed a stellar 33.2 percent strikeout rate, that number has since plummeted. Over his last seven starts, he’s rocking a brutal 6.57 ERA and a 1.568 WHIP. The K-rate drop to 15 percent definitely suggests some arm fatigue is kicking in. Remember his last outing against the Cubs? That was back on April 12, 2024, here in Seattle, where he allowed one unearned run in 6.1 innings. Alex Bregman has faced him a lot, and is 3-for-18 with two doubles.
Across the mound, the M’s will be staring down Shōta Imanaga, the Cubs’ left-hander. Imanaga had a solid start last Monday against the White Sox, fanning 10 batters and giving up only two hits, though one of those was a three-run homer to Randal Grichuk. Even with that, his numbers over his last 12 starts are strong: a 2.67 ERA and a 1.099 WHIP across 67.1 innings. He’s given up 12 homers in that span, but only walked 13. His only career start against the Mariners was on April 13, 2024, at Wrigley Field, where he surrendered one unearned run in five innings.
Cubs Are Stumbling, M’s Need to Pounce
The Cubs are coming into T-Mobile Park having dropped three games in a row, a streak they haven’t seen since late May and early June. Since that rough patch, they are 42-26, a .618 winning percentage. But this current skid opens a door for our Mariners. It’s worth noting that this is the ninth time the Cubs have lost the first two games of a series this year, and they’ve managed to avoid a sweep by winning six of eight third games. They are 10-10 on the road in third games of series this year, down from 15-11 last year. The M’s need to keep them reeling.
What To Watch For Today
The Mariners’ lineup wasn’t available at posting time, but with Brendan Donovan getting scratched yesterday, keep an eye out for who might step up or if we see an old friend on the field today. This game is huge for Bryce Miller to find his groove again, and for the M’s to capitalize on the Cubs’ recent struggles. Tune into Marquee Sports Network to catch all the action, and check BCB social media for the Mariners lineup as game time approaches. Let’s go M’s!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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