The Seattle Mariners and RHP Bryce Miller have agreed on a contract, allowing both parties to avoid arbitration. The deal guarantees Miller $2.4375 million for the 2026 season, along with a team option reportedly worth $6.075 million for the 2027 campaign in lieu of his traditional second year of arbitration eligibility.
The cost-certainty for Seattle is a common benefit and priority for the club, and it’s unsurprising to see a deal of this sort be the result of the relatively minor discrepancy between the two parties at the filing deadline. Miller filed at $2.625 million initially, with Seattle less than $400,000 away at $2.25 million. Instead, this deal allows for Miller to be recognized for his work thus far, while insulating Seattle to a certain degree from the prospect that his injury-hampered 2025 might bleed over into the 2027 season. Conversely, a return to 2024 form or expanding upon it would likely stand to earn the righty a greater sum than the six million-ish total he’s agreed to.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the deal includes a buyout for $15,000 for the 2027 season if declined (though this sum is so negligible in the realm of MLB contracts it seems possible there’s a missing zero), as well as an escalator for the club option to be nullified and returned to Arb 2 if Miller finishes in the top-5 of Cy Young voting in 2026. The deal will extend into 2027, however assuming Miller sees his deal picked up for the coming season (highly likely), Miller will be eligible for Arb 3 in 2028 as scheduled.