Woo moved up a day in rotation to give Miller extra rest

LOS ANGELES -- The Mariners made a slight tweak to their rotation for their end of their trip to Dodger Stadium, bumping Bryan Woo up to Thursday’s series finale and pushing Bryce Miller back to Friday’s homestand opener vs. Minnesota.

As for why, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said that “Bryce just needed an extra day, and it just kind of worked out well that way, and should be a very smooth, easy transition.”

Separately, Colt Emerson returned to the lineup on Wednesday, batting ninth and playing shortstop. He was scratched ahead of the series opener with back spasms, an issue that also surfaced last month.

“He's moving around much better today,” Wilson said, “and ready to get back in there, eager to get back in there.”

In a just-in-case measure, infielder Leo Rivas joined the club at Dodger Stadium on the taxi squad.

As for the rotation, given that the Mariners are operating with a six-man group, Woo -- who last pitched Saturday in Arlington -- will start on a standard four days’ rest. Miller, who last pitched on Friday, will start on six days’ rest.

“It definitely helps in that regard, and this was an easy one,” Wilson said.

Miller missed the first seven weeks of the season with a left oblique strain but returned emphatically upon making his 2026 debut in mid-May. He carried a 1.71 ERA through his first nine outings, but has stumbled some since, with a 6.19 ERA over the next three, each as part of a Mariners loss.

The adjustment will also expose Woo to a road start, which has been the defining split of his season. In nine starts at T-Mobile Park, he’s 6-0 with a 2.20 ERA. In 11 starts away from Seattle, he’s 1-7 with a 6.52 ERA.

Woo was tagged for five earned runs through the first two innings his last time out against the Rangers, putting Seattle’s offense in too big an early hole to dig out from.

Miller has pitched on at least six days’ rest in five of his past six starts dating back to June 19, the most recent outing in which the Mariners deployed a piggyback.

That one featured Miller and Luis Castillo, one of four such tandem outings this season -- each of which used those two. But the Mariners have not used the piggyback since, instead opting for a straight six-man rotation.

It has not been uncommon for the Mariners to shuffle that group’s alignment based on baking in extra rest.

They did so with George Kirby three weeks ago, leading into their lengthy road trip through Florida (eight days’ rest), then again coming out of the All-Star break (11 days). They also did so with Emerson Hancock last month in Cleveland (seven days), abandoning a piggyback between him and Logan Gilbert on June 27 and instead having him go on a standard start the day after.