In the quest for a successful fantasy baseball season, identifying players likely to bust is just as crucial as finding the right sleepers. Early-round pitchers come with significant risk, and dropping a high-cost player mid-season can severely hamper your team's chances. Using past examples like Alek Manoah and Bobby Miller, a pitcher bust is typically someone dropped from most fantasy rosters. Key indicators of a potential bust include below-average chase rates on two-strike counts, average balls in play rates, and fluky HR/FB ratios.

This season, potential busts include Bryce Miller and Spencer Schwellenbach, both of whom exhibit concerning metrics. Miller's two-strike chase rate is below average, and Schwellenbach, despite a strong finish last season, faces challenges with his pitch mix and competition for the starting role. Meanwhile, pitchers like Luis Castillo and Framber Valdez, who are experiencing declines, warrant close monitoring despite not meeting all bust criteria. Understanding these dynamics can help fantasy managers avoid costly mistakes.

The Seattle Mariners' pitching staff remains a formidable force, boasting three All-Star starters: George Kirby, Luis Castillo, and Logan Gilbert. With up-and-coming talents like Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller, the team enjoys a wealth of options to build their rotation. The opening day starter debate is heating up, with Ryan Rowland-Smith advocating for Logan Gilbert, who had a standout season, finishing with a 3.23 ERA and 220 strikeouts in 2024. While Castillo, a respected veteran and the highest-paid pitcher, has held the role in previous seasons, Gilbert's impressive performance may earn him the nod for the 2025 opener against the Athletics.

Gilbert's 2024 season included making his first All-Star appearance and finishing sixth in the Cy Young voting, highlighting his potential as the ace of the staff. Rowland-Smith's comments draw parallels to historical decisions, such as Erik Bedard starting over Felix Hernandez in 2008. The competition between Gilbert and Castillo reflects the Mariners' depth, ensuring that regardless of the choice, the team is set up for success as they aim for the upcoming season.

The Seattle Mariners are gearing up for a promising 2025 season, buoyed by a standout starting rotation that recorded the most quality starts in the league and featured four pitchers with 30 or more starts last year. Each member of the rotation finished with an ERA below 3.70, setting high expectations for their encore performance.

Among the notable players is Bryce Miller, who has been named the 87th-best player in baseball by MLB Network, heading into his third Major League season. He achieved impressive stats in 2024, including a 2.94 ERA and 171 strikeouts across 180.1 innings, ranking in the top five for WHIP and opposing batting average.

Miller's diverse pitching arsenal, highlighted by a newly introduced cutter, promises even more effectiveness in 2025. His continued development, coupled with the established talent in the Mariners' rotation, points towards another elite season for the club's pitching staff.

The Seattle Mariners emerged as a formidable force in 2024, largely due to their exceptional starting pitching rotation. Leading Major League Baseball in quality starts, the team boasted an impressive lineup where all five starters recorded ERAs below 3.70, with four pitchers making at least 30 starts. Notably, Logan Gilbert captured attention as the ace of the staff, achieving a career milestone with 200 strikeouts and 200 innings pitched while leading the league in WHIP (0.89). Fellow pitcher Bryce Miller closely followed, ranking fourth in WHIP with an impressive 0.98.

Both Gilbert and Miller excelled in limiting batting averages, with Gilbert allowing just .196 and Miller .200. They were outpaced only by Ronel Blanco and Zack Wheeler. With diverse pitching arsenals, the duo is expected to play pivotal roles in the upcoming season, contributing significantly to the Mariners’ ambitions. Their collective prowess underlines a promising future for the franchise, as they aim to build on their 2024 success.

As Spring Training approaches, Seattle Mariners players are ramping up their preparations for the 2025 season, with notable figures like Bryce Miller and JP Crawford sharing their training efforts on social media. Miller recently posted a video of his first bullpen session, while Crawford showcased his work at the Driveline training facility. Outfielder Victor Robles has also been active, training with former teammate Juan Soto in the Dominican Republic.

Robles and Soto, both former top prospects and World Series champions with the Washington Nationals in 2019, have taken different career paths since then. Soto was traded to the San Diego Padres in 2022 and later to the New York Yankees, where he helped the team secure an American League pennant before signing a historic 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets. Meanwhile, Robles was released by the Nationals but found a new opportunity with the Mariners, where he has excelled as a starter and lead-off hitter, earning a two-year extension worth $9.75 million.