In an eagerly anticipated game on Wednesday, Bobby Miller, the Dodgers’ promising pitcher, aimed to turn the tide against the Minnesota Twins after a series of difficult starts. The hope was for a strong performance that could silence the critics and shift his season’s narrative toward success.

However, despite facing a Twins team that had been struggling to find its rhythm, Miller found himself in familiar territory, struggling to maintain control on the mound. Over just four innings, he allowed eight baserunners and surrendered two runs, contributing to the Dodgers’ narrow 3-2 loss in the series finale.

This outcome was not what Miller or his fans had envisioned, as he sought to make a significant impact and help his team secure a win.

Miller Shows Signs of Improvement Despite Challenges

Despite his previous start on April 5 at Chicago, where Miller managed to get just five outs while giving up five earned runs in a loss to the Cubs, his performance on Wednesday showed signs of improvement. Though the improvement wasn’t as significant as he and his fans had hoped, it was a step in the right direction.

The MLB game against the Twins started on a shaky note when Edouard Julien hit an opposite-field home run in the first inning, putting the Dodgers immediately on the back foot. Carlos Correa’s sharp single added to the pressure, but fortunately, Freddie Freeman’s quick thinking led to a 3-6-3 double play, limiting the damage to just one run.

The second inning presented more challenges for Miller as he walked the first two batters. However, he managed to retire the side without any more runs scoring through a mix of a pop-up, a strikeout, and a weak comebacker.

The Twins threatened again in the third inning, with Julien and Correa kicking things off with singles. Yet, after Miller struck out Alex Kirilloff, Byron Buxton’s single only managed to bring in one run, breaking Minnesota’s unfortunate 0-for-33 streak with runners in scoring position but failing to blow the game wide open.

Miller’s performance steadied by his last inning, managing a one-out walk before Miguel Rojas initiated another double play to end the inning and Miller’s day on the mound. Despite the Dodgers’ loss, these moments from the game could serve as pivotal turning points in assessing the Dodgers Season Props and Miller’s role in it.

Miller’s Struggles with Command and Offspeed Pitches

Miller’s biggest challenge during Wednesday’s game was his ability to control, particularly his offspeed pitches. He leaned on his fastball less than half of the time, throwing it just 40% of the time (29 of 73 pitches).

When Miller tried using his secondary pitches, they weren’t as effective as he hoped. Only about half of these pitches (22 out of 44) ended up being strikes.

The score was even at 2-2 after four innings, but things changed when Alex Vesia came in to pitch, and Julien hit another home run off of him. That solo home run made all the difference, setting the final score as both teams’ bullpens locked down the game, preventing any more runs.

A key player for the Dodgers was Michael Grove, who stepped up in a big way. He managed to walk only one batter and struck out four in 2 1/3 innings without allowing a hit, which was a huge help in relieving the bullpen that had been overworked during the previous series in Minnesota.

By Chris Bates