Since returning from mid-range touring to triple-A Oklahoma City, Bobby Miller and Walker Bühler they were in the same boat.
Even after the first half of the season, the Dodgers continued to believe in their potential.
But to count in October, they need to back it up with their late-season performances.
So far, only one person has answered the call.
While Buehler has shown signs of life and said he feels more like his old self — he’s off to an encouraging start — Miller continues to trend in the wrong direction and could hit a new low in his disappointing sophomore campaign Wednesday night in a 10-1 loss to the Angels in Anaheim.
Miller’s first inning was an absolute disaster. He missed his first pitch and then hit another. He gave up two runs on back-to-back singles and then gave up a three-run homer to Mickey Moniak.
So it was 5-0… before Miller recorded his first out.
Things didn’t get much better from there for the 25-year-old right-hander. Despite striking out eight batters, he issued three walks in total and allowed two more runs: first to designated hitter Nico Cavadas in the second inning and then another to Taylor Ward in the sixth.
The five-inning, seven-run start left Miller with a 7.79 ERA in 11 appearances this year (up from his 3.76 mark in his promising 2023 debut).
And with Landon Knuck set to be called up Friday and Yoshinobu Yamamoto set to return from a shoulder injury next Tuesday, as manager Dave Roberts announced before the game, one has to wonder if Miller will be in the Dodgers’ rotation if he will remain there for a short time; there is very little to consider about the still-uncertain October personnel.
In what was a recurring problem for last year’s rookie star, Miller struggled to control his secondary pitches and was penalized for fastballs he threw over the plate (his fastball averaged 98.3 mph, but produced no whiff).
He also continued to fail to keep up with his mechanics, perhaps due to a knee issue that has been bothering him since returning from a mid-two-month absence due to shoulder inflammation.
The good news for the Dodgers is that pitching reinforcements are on the way.
Yamamoto’s start Tuesday will be his first since suffering a rotator cuff injury on June 15. Although the Japanese rookie right-hander pitched just two innings in his final rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday, he threw 53 pitches. The outing (including 17 on a hit against former MLB star Omar Narvaez) was enough for the club to bring him back.
“The way we look at it, we’re going to start him four times (before the postseason),” Roberts said of Yamamoto, who was 6-2 with a 2.92 ERA before the injury. “If we can get four starts and turn up the volume, we’re ready to go even further.”
Tyler Glasnow is also making progress in his recovery from elbow tendinitis. According to Roberts, he had a good workout before Wednesday’s game and could resume bullpen sessions later this week.
If the Dodgers get both pitchers back in October (or Clayton Kershaw, who continues to pitch while recovering from a sprained left big toe), the team might not need Buehler or Miller with Jack in its October rotation. Flaherty and Gavin Stone are showing more consistency than either of them this season.
Given the Dodgers’ injury luck this year, though, there’s a good chance there will be spots to fill in the postseason.
In recent weeks, Buehler has given reason for optimism.
Miller, on the other hand, is going back to the drawing board.
