The Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to three games with a 4-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox despite Bobby Miller struggling in a second consecutive start since coming off the 15-day injured list.
The right-hander lasted just two innings, allowing three runs on four hits with three walks to only one strikeout. All of the damage came in the first, with Andrew Benintendi hitting a two-run homer and Eloy Jiménez recording an RBI double.
Miller threw 38 of his 60 pitches in the first inning and finished with just 33 strikes for the night.
The 25-year-old admitted he has not thrown the ball well lately, but isn’t going to second-guess himself, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“Obviously I’ve been in a tough spot lately,” said Miller, who has allowed eight runs in 8⅓ innings since returning from the injured list. “It’s been tough going back to rehab, it just feels like I’m going through spring training again.
“One thing I can say is every time I’m out there I’m giving it my all every single time. All it takes is just one good outing again just to get in the swing of things. I’m just not going to doubt myself. I know who I am. I know who I can be. I’m just going to keep trusting myself out there.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt that Miller didn’t have his best stuff, noting he struggled to put away batters:
“I think tonight he just didn’t have feel. You could see he was searching all night,” Roberts said. “His stuff just wasn’t really sharp, teethy, to put guys away. The changeup was a ball out of hand. The slider was rolling up there. And the fastball, when he did make some good throws with the fastball, they were spoiling them.”
Miller has now allowed eight runs and 10 hits in 8.1 innings since being activated off the IL earlier this month due to right shoulder inflammation.
Miller missed over two months while dealing with the injury and additionally struggled during his rehab assignment with Single-A Rancho Cucamonga and Triple-A Oklahoma City.
While the results haven’t been good lately, Miller did have a dominant start against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 29. He is also one year removed from a promising rookie campaign in which he established himself as a key member of the Dodgers rotation.
Bobby Miller viewed return as mixed start
Miller allowed five runs on six hits over 6.1 innings against the Colorado Rockies in his return to the Dodgers last week, which he felt was a mixed bag.
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