Bobby Miller will return to the Dodgers rotation subsequent week. Supervisor Dave Roberts advised reporters that L.A. will reinstate Miller from the 15-day injured record to start out in opposition to the Rockies on Wednesday (X hyperlink through Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Occasions). He’s not the one Dodger pitcher who’ll be making a noteworthy begin that evening. Clayton Kershaw will start a rehab look with Low-A Rancho Cucamonga on Wednesday.
Miller has been out of motion for greater than two months. The second-year righty took the ball thrice earlier than occurring the shelf with shoulder irritation. He started a rehab stint on Could 26 and has began 4 video games within the minors. Miller had a tough go on that task, permitting 14 runs over 15 innings. He topped out at 4 2/3 innings and 93 pitches for Triple-A Oklahoma Metropolis yesterday.
A former first-round choose, Miller emerged as arguably the Dodgers’ prime starter within the second half of his rookie season. He turned in a 3.76 ERA with a stable 23.6% strikeout fee over his first 22 begins. He recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts in opposition to the Cardinals to kick off his sophomore season, however the Cubs tagged him for 5 runs over 1 2/3 frames in his second outing. Miller tossed 4 innings of two-run ball in opposition to the Twins earlier than the harm.
The Dodger rotation allow them to down within the postseason, contributing to their sweep by the hands of the D-Backs within the Division Collection. The entrance workplace overhauled the group over the winter. The Dodgers signed Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a file deal for a pitcher not lengthy after buying and increasing Tyler Glasnow. They introduced in James Paxton later within the offseason.
That trio every has an earned run common between 3.00 and 4.00 on the season. Glasnow and Yamamoto have been wonderful, operating large strikeout charges with plus command. Paxton’s peripherals are a lot shakier, as he has walked 12.6% of batters confronted with a effectively below-average 13.8% strikeout fee.
Gavin Stone has stepped up in Miller’s absence, working to a 2.93 ERA over 67 2/3 innings. Walker Buehler has rounded out the beginning employees since his return from Tommy John surgical procedure. Buehler has proven some rust over his first seven begins, permitting 4.64 earned runs per 9 with a diminished 19.7% strikeout share.
Nobody from that quintet might be nudged out of the rotation. Roberts stated the Dodgers will transfer to a six-man rotation “for this second in time” as soon as Miller returns (hyperlink through Invoice Plunkett of the Orange County Register). Los Angeles is three video games right into a stretch of 12 consecutive recreation days. The Dodgers already shuffled their rotation this week to get an additional couple days off for Yamamoto and Glasnow, in order that they’ll welcome the chance to get their starters a little bit of a breather. That’ll include a success to their bullpen depth, as they’ll must go to a seven-man reduction group to satisfy the restrict of 13 pitchers on the lively roster.
The Dodgers might welcome Kershaw again to the group a number of weeks from now. The three-time Cy Younger winner underwent shoulder surgical procedure in early November. Subsequent week’s look might be his first recreation motion of 2024. That would place him for a return to the MLB rotation across the All-Star Break.
Kershaw labored to a 2.46 ERA over 24 common season begins a yr in the past. His velocity evaporated down the stretch as he pitched by means of the injured shoulder, although, culminating in a disastrous outing in his lone playoff begin. He formally re-signed with L.A. in February on an incentive-laden deal that assured him $10MM. Kershaw is making a $5MM base wage and will earn a further $7.5MM in efficiency bonuses if he will get to 10 begins. He has a $5MM participant possibility for subsequent yr that might rise as excessive as $20MM if he makes 10 begins in 2024. That also appears attainable with Kershaw trending in the direction of a July return.
