The Seattle Mariners are getting another key piece back, and this time it's on the mound. After activating third baseman/utility man Brendan Donovan from the injured list ahead of Friday's 12-8 win over the Chicago White Sox, the team is now set to welcome back right-handed starter Bryce Miller for Wednesday's clash against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park.

Miller, who has been sidelined all season with a left oblique strain suffered during spring training, will make his 2025 debut in the third game of a crucial four-game series between these American League West rivals. The news was first reported by Seattle Times' Ryan Divish, who noted that with 14 games in 14 days, the Mariners will deploy a six-man rotation before reassessing after the road trip.

The former Texas A&M standout began a rehab assignment on April 18, splitting starts between Triple-A Tacoma and High-A Everett to get reacclimated to pitching in the Pacific Northwest. And his numbers were impressive: a 1.98 ERA with 14 strikeouts over 13.2 innings across four starts. After allowing three earned runs in his first rehab outing, Miller locked in and didn't surrender a single run over his next three appearances.

His final tune-up came on May 6 against the Hillsboro Hops, where he tossed five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out two. He needed only 61 pitches—38 of them strikes—and his fastball sat comfortably at 95-98 mph. That's the kind of velocity that should play well in the hitter-friendly confines of Houston's ballpark.

For a Mariners team already riding high after a big win to kick off a seven-game road trip, Miller's return adds depth and firepower to a rotation that's been holding its own. With the Astros always a tough out in the division, having a fresh arm like Miller could be the difference-maker in keeping Seattle in the hunt.