Dodgers keep rotation carousel going with latest roster move to bring back familiar face

This week, Dave Roberts tried to play coy about whether or not the Dodgers were going to bring Bobby Miller back up to the majors for their Wednesday game against the Rockies, but he wasn't convincing anyone. Miller had been pulled from a start in Triple-A after just 2 1/3 innings on the same day, and the Dodgers still haven't settled on a semi-permanent replacement for Blake Snell while he's on the IL and still without a clear timeline to return.

Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack got tapped first, given their strong performances in spring training and Knack's decent work as a stopgap starter last year, but neither impressed. Wrobleski gave up eight runs in his first start against the Nationals and was promptly replaced by Knack, who gave up seven runs and walked more batters than he struck out in two starts.

If Snell's timeline remains dubious, neither of those guys look like they're going to be viable solutions. So their last resort, before either having to deal with a revolving door of Wrobleski and Knack or putting on a lot of bullpen games, is Miller.

Although the Dodgers have yet to make the official roster move, Roberts confirmed that Knack would be going back to Triple-A and Miller would be getting his season debut.

Dodgers to option Landon Knack, call up Bobby Miller as they continue to search for Blake Snell replacement

While it's not a promising sign that the Dodgers' pitching depth hasn't nearly lived up to expectations, this is Miller's best chance to prove that he hasn't completely lost his stuff after a disastrous 2024 season. He'll still probably end up going back to Triple-A as soon as Tony Gonsolin is healthy enough to return from his rehab assignment, but the Dodgers need clarity on Miller's viability in the majors.

Roki Sasaki's signing put a lot of young pitchers' futures in jeopardy, and that includes Miller. There are precious few ways for Miller, Wrobleski, Knack, and any of the many rookies on the IL after major surgeries to make their ways forward into the majors with the Dodgers, given how packed their rotation already is. The stakes are higher for them when they do get called up, even in the event of injury-related absence.

Miller's 2.25 ERA over 12 innings in Triple-A is somewhat promising, but the majors are a different story (even if he's only facing the Rockies). Whatever starts he does manage to get this year feel make-or-break.