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Those who watched the game or saw the clip online gasped in horror when Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller was hit in the head with a baseball that was traveling almost 106 MPH during Thursday's spring training opener. Thankfully, the young right-hander was able to leave the mound under his own power.
Although he is currently in concussion protocol, Miller is feeling much better than one would anticipate after such a frightening incident.
“Bobby Miller says getting hit in the head by a line drive has ‘always kind of been one of my biggest fears. … Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be,'” Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reported on Saturday. The 25-year-old is dealing with a headache and some drowsiness, but he is extremely grateful to avoid a more severe head injury.
The ball came screaming off the bat of Chicago Cubs first baseman and former Dodgers top prospect Michael Busch, instantly sending Camelback Ranch into a state of grave concern. It is unclear how long Miller will be sidelined during Cactus League play. His health obviously precedes all other matters, but the 2020 first-round draft pick is surely itching to get back on the rubber and secure a roster spot for himself.
Can Bobby Miller return to form for Dodgers?
Miller oozed promise and composure during his 2023 rookie campaign, stepping into a big role amid the Dodgers' frequent injury plague. He tallied a 3.76 ERA and 119 strikeouts in 22 regular season starts. The former Louisville Cardinals standout was unable to build on his encouraging development, however, and lumbered through a rough 2024 slate of action.
He struggled to find the strike zone, walking 11.6 percent of the batters he faced, and spent a couple of months on the injured list with shoulder inflammation before being sent down to the minor leagues multiple times. Miller finished the year with a 2-4 record, 8.52 ERA and .571 slugging percentage against in only 56 innings pitched. He is eyeing redemption in 2025.
This setback will delay that pursuit, though, making it even more grueling to potentially squeeze his way into an absurdly crowded LA pitching staff. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki are locks in the rotation, and Shohei Ohtani will join them when ready. If manager Dave Roberts chooses to use six starters, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and possibly Bobby Miller could all be fighting for that spot (Clayton Kershaw will start season on injured list).
A concussion is nothing to scoff at, but Miller still has time to remind the Dodgers and their fans of his ample abilities. Now that he has withstood “one of his biggest fears,” maybe this hurler will wield a whole new confidence when he next takes the mound.
