The return of Bobby Miller on Saturday in opposition to the St. Louis Cardinals got here slightly too quickly.
When the Los Angeles Dodgers optioned him to Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis in July, the aim was for Miller to get proper. Then got here the panic button when Tyler Glasnow was positioned on the injured record Friday.
Miller’s return featured extra of the identical of what the Dodgers noticed in June and July. Miller lacked command of most of his pitches and noticed his velocity dip after the primary inning.
He gave up 4 runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings and the Dodgers misplaced to the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-2. Two of these hits have been dwelling runs.
“It was definitely a matter of circumstance,” Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated when requested earlier than the sport if Miller had earned his callback primarily based on his efficiency in Triple-A the place he gave up 9 runs in 13 innings. “However I feel that’s the way in which it occurs loads of occasions additionally.”
Miller was a breakout star for the Dodgers as a rookie final season, which not solely earned him a spot within the postseason rotation however as a top-five starter out of spring coaching. He merely hasn’t lived as much as the hype in 2024 and it was on show in opposition to the Cardinals.
Miller’s fastball touched 99.7 mph within the first inning however ultimately dropped to a 97 common. Fortunately, he solely allowed one free go however he did throw 4 wild pitches.
“It’s actually simply falling behind a number of guys. I actually suppose that was the weak spot tonight, simply falling behind with early offspeed and fastballs yanking a pair,” Miller stated. “Simply deal with getting ‘Strike one’ on each single batter and it’s a special ballgame.”
Each dwelling runs have been launched on fastballs when Miller was behind within the rely. Alec Burleson hit a 2-1 fastball for a two-run homer within the third inning and Masyn Wynn despatched a 2-1 fastball to heart subject for a solo homer within the fifth.
“It’s simply arduous to pitch from behind and he was behind hitters all evening,” Roberts stated. “It took him, I feel, 3.5 or 4 innings to search out some semblance of a breaking ball. He couldn’t land a curveball (for a strike). … The changeup was a ball out of hand after which he began to get slightly really feel for it, however at the moment I assumed he was out of gasoline.
“I assumed he completed a lot better than he began and stay up for the following one being even higher.”
Sure, there will likely be one other begin for Miller whereas Glasnow is on the IL.
“That’s the thought proper now, yeah,” Roberts stated. “However he has to proceed to point out some enchancment, too.”
Picture Credit score: Invoice Streicher-USA TODAY Sports activities
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