Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Expects Shelby Miller to Return This Season

Hopefully he can stay healthy when he returns!

The injury bug has hit the Los Angeles Dodgers this season like a freight train but the team has found ways to survive. They have relied upon different rookies and unexpected players to step up and keep them in contention. To their credit, it has worked so far. 

Every single one of their five Opening Day starting pitchers has been on the injured list at some point this year and multiple members of the bullpen as well. It has caused some uncharacteristic poor pitching performances from this team as a whole and seen them lose games that they normally would close out.

While LA has been getting some good news on a few of their injured players, they also have received some unfortunate news on others. The most recent is right-handed relief pitcher Shelby Miller who will now be moved over to the 60-day injured list. Dave Roberts does expect the veteran pitcher to come back to the team at some point this season however.

“I’m as surprised as everyone with Shelby going on the 60-day,” Roberts said. “It just hasn’t come along. The hope is that he’ll be moving and doing stuff before that and we’ll get him back. I think for me, I talked to Shelby recently by text and he’s looking forward to coming back at some point this season.”

Miller now won't be able to return to the mound until late August at the earliest and this is another blow to the Dodgers bullpen issues. He had become one of the more relied upon arms out of the pen for LA, posting an ERA of 2.40 and striking out 31 batters over 30 innings.

He has been dealing with neck pain and it just seems like his return keeps getting pushed back. LA needs their trusted arms back so we can hope that this is the last time that it does and we do indeed see Miller back at some point.