PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers have a problem and it’s only getting worse.
On the same day they put Tyler Glasnow on the injured list for a midseason break, they watched Bobby Miller struggle through the worst start of his young career. Miller allowed a career-high nine runs on 10 hits in four innings Tuesday night as the Philadelphia Phillies bludgeoned their way to a 10-1 victory over the Dodgers.
With Miller’s debacle, Dodgers starters have allowed 45 runs in 44 innings over their past 10 games. The group is fooling no one – they have given up 51 hits, including 12 home runs, in that time.
Playing from behind on a nightly basis, the Dodgers have lost six of those 10 games and did not look to be on the same plane as the Phillies who have the best record in baseball.
The poor starting pitching has also overextended the Dodgers’ bullpen and they wound up sending Kiké Hernandez to the mound against the Phillies – in the seventh inning.
Tuesday’s pounding was the latest low point for Miller who has not looked right since returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for two months earlier this year. He didn’t pitch well on his minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment and now has a 9.87 ERA in four starts since rejoining the Dodgers’ rotation.
The hard-throwing Miller has just nine strikeouts in 17⅓ innings since returning. Batters are hitting .338 (24 for 71) against this version of Miller with five home runs.
Miller’s troubles against the Phillies started with two outs in the second inning. Miller walked Brandon Marsh, who promptly stole second base and scored on a single by Rafael Marchan. Johan Rojas beat out an infield single and both moved up on a wild pitch by Miller. Kyle Schwarber drove them in with a single, doing Miller a favor by being thrown out at second base.
Two innings later, the roof caved in on Miller.
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The first five Phillies batters reached base, including three consecutive hits by the final three batters in the Phillies’ order. That trio (Marsh, Marchan and Rojas) went 5 for 5 with a walk, a double, two RBIs and six runs scored in Miller’s four innings.
Trea Turner hit a grand slam and Bryson Stott a solo home run for a six-run inning before Miller could escape to the air-conditioned, cheesesteak-scented safety of the Dodgers’ clubhouse.
He soon had plenty of company. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts began pulling his regulars from the game in the fifth inning.
Phillies starter Zack Wheeler left after five innings with lower back tightness. But all the Dodgers could muster was a solo home run by Cavan Biggio in the fifth inning.
More to come on this story.
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