Miller’s Nightmare: Mariners Obliterated 19-2 by Cubs
Bryce Miller’s Rough Patch: When It Rains, It Pours for the Mariners’ Pitcher
The Big Picture
Imagine you’re having a really bad week at work. Now imagine that week happens on national TV, in front of thousands of fans, and you’re getting paid millions of dollars. That’s basically what Bryce Miller, a starting pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, just went through.
In the span of five days, Miller took the mound for two games and watched his team get absolutely crushed:
- August 19: Mariners lose to the Milwaukee Brewers 22–0
- August 24: Mariners lose to the Chicago Cubs 19–2
Important Callout
Miller is only the fourth pitcher in MLB history to lose back-to-back starts by 17 or more runs. The last time this happened? 1890 — over 130 years ago! The pitcher was George Van Haltren of the Brooklyn Wonders.
What Happened in the Two Games?
Game 1: vs. Milwaukee Brewers (August 19)
- Final Score: 22–0
- Miller pitched 4⅓ innings
- Allowed 5 earned runs
- The Brewers tied the record for the largest shutout win since 1900
Game 2: vs. Chicago Cubs (August 24)
- Final Score: 19–2
- Miller pitched 4⅓ innings again
- Allowed 6 earned runs
- Career-high 7 walks (that’s when the pitcher throws four balls and the batter gets to walk to first base for free)
- The big blow: a grand slam (home run with bases loaded = 4 runs) by Ian Happ in the 3rd inning after Miller walked three batters in a row with two outs
But Wait — It Wasn’t All Miller’s Fault
In the Cubs game, things got really ugly after Miller left the game.
| Inning | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 8th | Backup catcher Jhonny Pereda came in to pitch (yes, a catcher pitching!) |
| Gave up 7 runs | |
| Including another grand slam — this time by Pedro Ramirez |
So of the 19 runs the Cubs scored, 7 came in one inning from a position player pitching. The Mariners essentially "waved the white flag" — meaning they knew they were going to lose and saved their real pitchers for the next game.
How Bad Is Miller’s Season Really?
Let’s look at the numbers in simple terms:
- Record: 4 wins, 8 losses (4–8)
- ERA: 4.12 (ERA = Earned Run Average; lower is better. Under 3.00 is great, 4.00 is average, over 5.00 is struggling)
- Current streak: Lost 8 straight starts
- Last 30⅔ innings: 27 earned runs allowed — that’s almost 1 run per inning
Important Callout
Miller says he’s been dealing with a lat muscle issue (that’s a muscle in your back/side), but he refuses to use it as an excuse. "I just gotta get back to who I am," he said.
What Might Happen Next? The Bullpen Option
Manager Dan Wilson said the team is "looking at everything" — including moving Miller to the bullpen.
What’s the difference?
| Role | What They Do |
|---|---|
| Starter | Starts the game, tries to pitch 5–7 innings |
| Bullpen (Reliever) | Comes in later, usually pitches 1–2 innings |
Moving to the bullpen could help Miller by:
- Less pressure — shorter outings
- More consistency — pitch every few days instead of once a week
- Simpler job — throw hard, get outs, don’t overthink
The Silver Lining: Mariners Are Still in the Race!
Despite these two historic blowouts, the Mariners are still alive for the playoffs.
- Current Record: 62–69
- Division: American League West
- Games Back: 3 games behind the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers (tied for first)
There are still about 30 games left in the season. In baseball, 3 games is nothing — one good week and they’re back on top.
Summary
- Bryce Miller had a historically bad 5-day stretch: two starts, two losses by 17+ runs each.
- He’s only the 4th pitcher ever to do this — first since 1890.
- Miller has now lost 8 straight starts and has a 4.12 ERA on the season.
- The second game got extra ugly when a backup catcher gave up 7 runs in one inning.
- Manager Dan Wilson is considering moving Miller to the bullpen.
- Despite it all, the Mariners are only 3 games out of first place — the season isn’t over!
FAQ
1. What is a "grand slam" in baseball?
A grand slam is a home run hit when all three bases have runners on them. That means 4 runs score at once — the batter plus the three runners. It’s the biggest single play in baseball!
2. Why would a catcher pitch in a major league game?
When a team is losing by a huge margin late in the game, they don’t want to waste their real pitchers (who they need for the next game). So they put in a position player — like a catcher or outfielder — just to finish the inning. It’s called "waving the white flag."
3. What does ERA mean?
ERA = Earned Run Average. It tells you how many runs a pitcher gives up per 9 innings on average.
- Under 3.00 = Excellent
- 3.00–4.00 = Good
- 4.00–5.00 = Average
- Over 5.00 = Struggling
Miller’s 4.12 is slightly below average.
4. Has any other team lost two games by 17+ runs in a week recently?
The Mariners are only the 5th team in 125 years to do this. The last team was the 1933 Philadelphia Phillies — almost 90 years ago!
5. Can the Mariners still make the playoffs?
Yes! They’re only 3 games behind the division leaders with about a month left. In baseball, teams go on hot streaks all the time. One 7-game winning streak and they’re in first place.