The Los Angeles Dodgers’ starting pitching woes during the 2024 season are well-documented by this point. Injuries to their rotation severely handicapped the team toward the end of the season and into the postseason, but what made the situation even worse was the unexpected regression from former top prospect Bobby Miller.
After a promising rookie season in 2023 and an even more promising start to 2024, the Dodgers were counting on Miller to make the leap in his sophomore season to help anchor their rotation. Instead, it turned out to be the worst-case scenario for both Miller and the Dodgers.
After an impressive six-inning, 11-strikeout performance against the St. Louis Cardinals on March 29, 2024, he allowed 12 runs in 12 innings over his next three starts. And from there the wheels quickly fell off what was supposed to be a breakout 2024 campaign.
He was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on July 10, 2024 and spent a majority of his time there to finish out the season.
Miller is looking to rebound in 2025 knowing that he has no where to go but up, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com:
“It was obviously a rough year, but I saw what I was able to do as a rookie, so that’s the bright side,” Miller said. “Another bright side is it can’t get much worse than what it was last year. But as of right now, I’m feeling in a way better spot than I was last year. Physically, I feel more ready than ever.”
Miller had a productive rookie season with a 10-4 record, 3.76 ERA, 3.51 FIP, and 119 strikeouts. But the most encouraging stat was his 23.6 strikeout percentage, which placed him in the top-25 pitchers in MLB that season.
Becoming a more effective strikeout pitcher, fixing command issues, and better health should help Miller get back on the right path in 2025. He also needs to work on better controlling his emotions on the mound, which is something Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has pointed out multiple times.
The Dodgers know Miller has the stuff to be an ace, but the mental side of the game is often more important than the physical side.
Blake Snell could help unlock something in Bobby Miller
Miller now has Blake Snell as a resource as the pair have become quick friends and are collaborating with the goal of improving themselves. It seems like an odd pairing at first with Snell and Miller being opposite-handed and Miller being more of a power pitcher with an average fastball velocity of 98.9 in 2023.
However, Snell is no slouch in this department either as he averaged 95.9 MPH on his fastball in 2024. But most importantly, he has been an excellent strikeout pitcher over his career and especially the past two seasons.
When Snell won the National League Cy Young Award in 2023, he ranked second in MLB with a strikeout percentage of 31.5% and proceeded to strikeout 34.7% of batters faced in 2024. Snell’s advice could be key in helping Miller find his 2023 form.
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