Bobby Miller Update: Dave Roberts Reveals Latest on Dodgers Pitcher After Scary Injury

Maren Angus-Coombs | Feb 20, 2025

Feb 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller (28) during a Spring Training workout at Camelback Ranch Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images / Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

The crowd at Camelback Ranch let out a collective gasp in the top of the third inning as Bobby Miller was on the ground clutching his head.

Miller entered the Los Angeles Dodgers' spring training opener to face the top of the Chicago Cubs lineup and on his 12th pitch, Michael Busch smoked a 106 mph line drive off of Miller's forehead.

The ball was hit so hard that it bounced off his head and into the outfield. Busch, who appeared shocked in the box, was frozen as he saw the ball hit Miller's head.

Miller was able to stand up after getting looked at by trainers and walk off under his power.

This angle of Bobby Miller taking a 105.5 MPH baseball to his face 😳

Thankfully, Miller was able to leave the game on his own with a big Dodgers crowd cheering him on. pic.twitter.com/dOsivqOMxc

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) February 20, 2025

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave an update about the right-hander after the contest.

"Certainly it was a very scary moment," Roberts said. "From what I’ve gathered he’s gonna be under concussion protocol."

"It was good to see him walk off the field," he added. "I don't think we're getting any X-rays right now. When I was on the mound, he didn't express any pain. I think he's going to kind of regroup, lay low."

The Dodgers and Miller hoped his first appearance of the spring would help regain the confidence he lost during a disastrous 2024 season.

Miller’s 2024 season debut, which followed his strong showing in 2023, looked promising as he posted the best performance of his career — striking out 11 over six scoreless innings against St. Louis.

However, despite the Dodgers' struggles to find consistency in their starting rotation, Miller pitched his way out of the lineup. He was sent down to the minors in September, finishing with an 8.52 ERA in 13 starts, ranking last among the 170 pitchers who threw at least 50 innings.

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By the end of the year, a team desperate for starting pitching determined Miller couldn’t secure a spot in their postseason rotation. Just a year after starting Game 2 for the Dodgers, he was left off the postseason roster as the team went on to win the World Series without him.

Since Los Angeles signed veteran Blake Snell, the former Cy Young winner has become friends with Miller and worked with him to overcome some of the struggles he faced last year.

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“I can see it in the way that he looks at the game, views the game,” Snell said of Miller. “I see how he wants to be great. I see that in a lot of that stuff.”

The belief Snell has in Miller has motivated him to pitch better and learn from his past.

“That kind of fired me up a little bit,” Miller said. “Coming from a guy like him, two-time Cy Young winner. … He’s been taking me under his wing which I’m really thankful for.”

For more Dodgers news, head over to Dodgers on SI.