CLEVELAND -- When the Cleveland Indians get left-handed reliever Andrew Miller back from injury, they want to make sure he stays that way for the remainder of the season instead of having to send him back to the disabled list for a third time in 2018.
Out of the lineup since May 25 because of a sore right knee, Miller has not yet been activated because the Indians want to make sure he will remain healthy.
“He’s going to throw again today,” Indians manager Terry Francona said prior to tonight’s game against the Minnesota Twins at Progressive Field.
“I think we’re still trying to figure out long-term, like not just for next week. I think we feel like he’s done so well and really worked at it and everything, but when we get him back, we want to keep him back.”
Miller returned from his first stint on the disabled list on May 11, but struggled to find the command he had previously.
Over 4.1 innings of work in six outings, Miller allowed seven runs, all of which were earned, seven hits, one home run and had an even strikeout-to-walk ratio after striking out six hitters and issuing six free passes, including three in one-third of an inning in a 9-8 loss to the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on May 15.
Before the activation, Miller missed 14 straight games because of a left hamstring injury.
While the Indians homered their way to a hard-fought 4-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Progressive Field on April 25, there was cause for some concern in the latter stages of the game.
With two outs and a runner on in the top of the seventh inning, Miller was called from the bullpen to relieve starter Trevor Bauer, but after throwing his second pitch to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, which was a ball off of the outside corner of the plate, reached for the back of his left knee as he walked off the mound.
After getting the ball back from catcher Yan Gomes, Miller tried to loosen up on the infield grass and took the mound, but almost immediately waved his glove in the direction of the Indians’ dugout. A member of the medical staff and manager Terry Francona came to the mound, and moments later, Miller was escorted to the dugout, and subsequently, to the training room for evaluation.
When Miller returned from the hamstring issue, he did so without going on a rehab assignment.
This season, the 6-foot-7, 205-pound Miller has thrown 14.1 innings in 17 appearances with 23 strikeouts against 10 walks and 13 hits for the Indians (36-31), who have a 4.5-game lead over the Tigers for first place in the American League Central Division.
Miller has allowed seven earned runs this season.
In parts of three seasons with the Indians, Miller has registered 164 strikeouts over 106.0 innings of work with 22 earned runs and 58 hits allowed. Miller has a 9-6 record with six saves and a 1.87 earned run average since being acquired by the Indians in a July trade with the New York Yankees during the 2016 season.
“He hasn’t had reoccurrences or nothing coming up,” Francona said. “I don’t think we’re there where we feel like we can activate him and keep him where he needs to be. I think he kind of feels the same way, so that’s why we’re just continuing to throw these bullpens.”
As for how much longer Miller will be out of the lineup, the Indians are still figuring that out.
“I don’t think we know,” Francona said.