Bobby Miller made his final start of Spring Training for the Los Angeles Dodgers as he turned in a sharp outing against the Los Angeles Angels in the exhibition Freeway Series.
Miller pitched 4.2 innings without giving up a run, and he added five strikeouts to just one walk. He exited the game with 80 pitches thrown and four hits given up.
While the Angels’ lineup is not at the level it’s been at in previous years with Shohei Ohtani now on the Dodgers, they still have a solid group of hitters, which includes Mike Trout, who finished his day 2-for-3.
Miller forced Trout to pop out in the first inning, but he came back and singled in the third. Trout added another single in the sixth inning against Michael Grove before he came out of the game for a pinch runner.
Although Trout found some success against Miller, the Dodgers’ right-hander appreciated the opportunity to face the future Hall of Famer. “He’s a really tough at-bat,” Miller said.
“I knew where I wanted to throw the ball, I just missed my spots. He took some really good pitches as well and took me deep into counts. He got a hit off me last time I faced him in Spring Training.
“It’s pretty awesome to see him in that box. He was one of my favorite players growing up to watch. It’s really cool.”
Both Miller and Trout have high expectations heading into the 2024 season as they look to prove themselves in different ways.
Miller is trying to establish himself as one of the top pitchers on the Dodgers and take another step forward after a strong rookie season. Meanwhile, Trout has proven about everything he can as one of MLB’s premier talents, but he needs to stay on the field.
The 32-year-old has not played in a full season since 2016, and he’s been limited to just 237 games played of the potential 486 possible over the past three seasons.
He has not reached 140 games since 2018, and he was limited to just 82 in 2023. But despite the injuries, Trout has remained one of the best hitters in baseball over that time.
Bobby Miller faced Shohei Ohtani in 2022
In 2022 while Miller was still a prospect trying to make a positive impression on the Dodgers, he also pitched against the Angels in Spring Training.
During that time, he had a memorable moment when he struck out Ohtani, but he won’t have to worry about any revenge from the slugger as they’re now teammates.
“It’s awesome,” Miller said. “I’m happy I don’t have to face him again and we’re on the same team now. He’s a great guy to be around. I’m excited to learn from him.”
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