I dug through the archives of our daily poll question on ArizonaSports.com to find this nugget from July 12, 2018: “What should the D-backs do with Shelby Miller moving forward?”
Miller had just allowed five runs in one inning during his fourth start after Tommy John surgery. His Diamondbacks tenure to that point had been a failure due to injuries and poor performance, and the winning vote in our poll with 63% was, “Send him down to the minors.”
Instead, the Diamondbacks placed him on the injured list with right elbow inflammation. He came back to throw one scoreless inning at the end of the season, his final appearance with the franchise that traded its No. 1 overall pick for him three seasons earlier.
Look where we are now.
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In our latest poll question, one that drew over 700 responses by 1 p.m. on Friday, Miller was the overwhelming favorite (68%) for who should receive the bulk of Arizona’s save opportunities with A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez on the IL.
Miller earned his first save of the year on Thursday with a 1-2-3 inning to secure a series victory at the New York Mets.
He’s having quite the redemption season.
“It seems like it was so long ago,” Miller told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Friday. “The injuries that I had back then and just poor performances those three years were tough.
“It was the first time I’ve struggled in my career and it was just kind of a downward spiral for myself. Just really couldn’t get on track. So it’s nice to come back with a different mindset, different stuff and just be a reliever and contribute to this team the best I can. I’m just stoked to be a Diamondback.”
Manager Torey Lovullo told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo pregame on Friday that if Miller is available, there is a good chance he’ll pitch on the back end again.
Through 13 appearances this season, Miller has thrown 13.2 innings without an earned run, striking out 15 with only four walks. He signed a minor league deal including a spring training invitation with the D-backs during camp and quickly stood out in Cactus League. His path to the roster became clear when Kevin Ginkel and Kendall Graveman started on the IL.
To Miller’s point about not having struggled before, he was a first-round pick straight out of Brownwood High School in Texas and quickly climbed prospect rankings. He debuted at 21 years old and finished third for 2013 NL Rookie of the Year with the St. Louis Cardinals. He made the All-Star team in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves before turning 24.
Arizona traded shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson in a package for Miller ahead of the 2016 season, one of the franchise’s dubious moments.
After his three-year stint with Arizona ended, Miller bounced around, splitting time in the majors and minors as he transitioned into a relief role.
“I’d probably say 2023 with the Dodgers was like my first full year in the big leagues as a reliever and first time I was throwing different pitches,” Miller said. “In 2022, I was spending most of the year in the minor leagues but I was relieving that whole year as well. … Obviously got it down as far as preparation and what I need to do to be ready every single day as a reliever. But 2023 is probably the first year it all clicked for me.”
He was stellar for the 2023 Dodgers, pitching to a 1.71 ERA in 36 games. As a reliever, he’s attacking hitters much differently. Instead of peppering hitters with fastballs (83% four-seamers, sinkers and cutters in 2016), he’s complimenting his heater with a splitter and a sweeper, neither of which have resulted in a hit this year.
Both with his arsenal and surroundings, Miller is in a comfortable spot.
“I just wanted to go somewhere I had some familiar faces,” Miller said. “Bouncing around these past four or five years from organization to organization, going to a team that was near and dear to me and the coaching staff and being back with this club has been a blessing.”
Will Shelby Miller close most games for Diamondbacks?
Puk is on the 60-day IL with left elbow inflammation. Martinez landed on the 15-day IL with right shoulder inflammation after Wednesday’s game, and his timeline is uncertain as they await imaging.
So, harkening back to the poll question, who will get the bulk of the saves?
“I think we have tons of guys down there capable of throwing leverage innings,” Miller said, alluding to Ginkel, Jalen Beeks and Ryan Thompson.
“There’s a strategy for what we do here, right?” Lovullo said. “We sit down pregame, we talk about who gets 1, 2, 3, 4, who gets 2, 3, 4, 5, who gets 3, 4, 5, 6. And a lot of times it ends up being Shelby for everybody in the lineup. … We’re still trying to find out how he feels right now with the heavy workload that he’s had. If he’s available, there’s a good chance you’ll see him on the very back end.”
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