Dodgers Will Keep Pitcher With 8.17 ERA In Their Rotation

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 13, 2024

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Bobby Miller's struggles continued on Wednesday night against the Chicago Cubs, dimming his hopes for a postseason rotation spot. 

The right-hander allowed six runs on five hits and four walks (three with two outs) over 4.1 innings. Over his last two starts (9.1 innings), he's given up 13 runs, resulting in an ERA of 8.17.

Manager Dave Roberts noted Miller’s effort after the game. 

Dave Roberts discusses how great the offense was tonight and Bobby Miller's performance. pic.twitter.com/7bXeOghiCz

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 12, 2024

“I think he’s grinding. I see it. He’s competing as much as he can,” Roberts said of Miller’s performance. “I think today, it was easy to see he didn’t have a feel for the curveball. He didn’t strike it very often.

“They were taking good swings off the fastball. The changeup at times was good. Certainly, the walks weren’t helpful.”

Bobby Miller discusses his performance tonight. pic.twitter.com/12a6UgaHJN

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) September 12, 2024

Miller’s season has been disappointing. Apart from a standout debut against the St. Louis Cardinals, his sophomore year has been challenging. He was demoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City in July and returned in August only due to a series of injuries to the starting rotation.

Despite his difficulties, the Dodgers will give him one more start before making a final decision. 

“He’s going to get another start, and then we’ll see from there,” Roberts said when asked about Miller’s future in the rotation.

Miller acknowledges the need to improve after his previous outing, in which he allowed seven runs to the Los Angeles Angels, including five in the first inning. 

“I’m obviously not happy about it,” Miller admitted. “But you have to move on and forget about it.”

However, Miller’s performance has been consistently underwhelming. 

“Performance matters,” Roberts emphasized. “It’s not just about the stuff, because the stuff is there. You’ve got to perform and give us a chance.”

The Dodgers escaped with a win despite Miller's rough start and with it stayed five games ahead of the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks (82-64) and moved 5.5 games clear of the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers’ magic number to secure their 11th National League West title in 12 years stands at 11.

Miller’s command of secondary pitches has faltered, making him predictable. On a positive note for the Dodgers, Yoshinobu Yamamoto showed promise in his first start back from the injured list, and Walker Buehler appears to be regaining his form. The Dodgers might manage just fine without Miller in the postseason.