SATURDAY: Miller has, in fact, decided to undergo Tommy John surgery, writes FanRag’s Tommy Stokke. Details of the surgery are unclear, but he’ll miss the rest of 2017 and quite likely a portion of the 2018 season while he recovers.
THURSDAY: Diamondbacks right-hander Shelby Miller has been diagnosed with flexor strain and a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, Miller himself tells reporters (Twitter links via FanRag’s Tommy Stokke). Miller is considering his options, including Tommy John surgery, and will make a decision sooner rather than later.
The 26-year-old Miller exited his most recent start due to forearm tightness and was quickly placed on the 10-day disabled list, though this new diagnosis guarantees that he’ll miss considerably more time than that — likely the remainder of the 2017 season unless he pursues a non-surgical route such as a platelet-rich plasma injection or stem cell treatment (neither of which would guarantee that he’d ultimately avoid surgery).
The news comes as a significant blow to the D-backs after Miller showed encouraging signs early in the season. After a dreadful first year in Arizona (6.15 ERA, 6.2 K/9, 3.8 BB/9), Miller was showing improved velocity and missing more bats early in the 2017 season. Through his first three outings, Miller logged a 3.50 ERA with a 17-to-7 K/BB ratio and a 48 percent ground-ball rate. His most recent outing, however, back on April 23, lasted just four innings as Miller issued five walks and saw his average velocity dip.
[Related: Arizona Diamondbacks Depth Chart]
With Miller out for a significant time regardless of his ultimate treatment option, the D-backs will have a vacancy in their rotation. Zack Greinke, Patrick Corbin, Robbie Ray and Taijuan Walker are presently occupying the top four slots, and right-hander Zack Godley was recalled to make a spot start yesterday (though he’s already been optioned out).
In addition to Godley, right-hander Braden Shipley (a former first-round pick that’s currently in Triple-A and made his MLB debut in 2016) and right-hander Archie Bradley could be candidates to join the rotation. Bradley has been lights out in a relief role early this season, though GM Mike Hazen very recently told the Arizona Repbulic’s Nick Piecoro that the organization still views Bradley as a starter in the long run.
And that terrible trade will live on forever
Haha thanks dbacks
Thanks for what? Three guys who suck for a terrible team?
Swanson sucks?
Inciarte won a gold glove and hit 290 last year, not sure that sucks.
.732 ops there’s more than average pal. The only reason he won the Gold Glove was that A.J. Was on DL until September.
Has to go down as the worst trade in history. Heck, maybe the most one sided deal of any kind since the Pilgrims.
The Babe Ruth sale comes to mind
Eric Bedard to the Mariners to get the Orioles Adam jones and Chris Tillman was also a lopsided trade. Orioles aren’t contending the last couple of years without that trade and Bedard did nothing after that
It’s no where near as bad as the rizzo for cashner trade
Really??? What are those guys doing for the Braves? I know… do you???
Hopefully his last start wasn’t his Swanson, oops…I mean…swan song!
Hopefully his last start wasn’t his Swanson, I mean, SWAN SONG!
Yeah, we heard you the first time.
Ha, my bad. Something weird happened on my phone. Point is still valid. Should I go for a third?
no
do it
Man, i guess I’m playing safe as a Braves fan, but every time i see someone mention the trade, part of me hopes Swanson busts just to see these people STFU!
How are you “playing safe?”
Some “fan” you are.
Your comment makes no sense.
Take Swanson out of that deal and it’s still a win for the Braves.
No question the Braves got the better end of the deal especially now that Miller will be out. Now lets wait for Swanson and Inciarte to actually produce in 2017 and beyond.
Inciarte is well on his way to producing another 3-4 WAR season, FYI. 0.5 rWAR and 1.0 fWAR in 25 games.
Dude you keep repeating this over and over again. Braves won the trade and thats final. Tommy john is the final straw.
I genuinely feel bad for this guy and not just because he blew out his elbow.
It’s interesting reading this while I’m in the waiting room at the doctors to see if I need TJ or not.
That sucks. Do you know yet?
Yeah so the MRI showed no damage to the UCL, but we still don’t know where the pain is coming from. If it gets worst I’ll go to a different “specialist”, if it gets better I’ll check back in in a few months. And btw, Walmart doesn’t hire 15 year olds.
Not with that attitude they don’t
Does Wall Mart have a DL?
I had tommy john when I was 15
That’s a felony
Realistically, the worst thing that ever happened to Miller was the trade–and the expectations that came from it. If hadn’t been traded for what was considered a grotesque overpay, he might be the object of the occasionally sympathetic post. If he had been traded in a “fair” deal, probably the same. If he hadn’t been traded at all, arguably he might have pitched better. But it seems like he gets torched for Dave Stewart’s poor judgment. What he’s facing isn’t going to fun, and it’s not because of some lack of effort.
Yeah, I hate it for the kid. We’re going to be talking about him/this trade for years and it’ll be for all the wrong reasons.
Eaton and Sale seem to be doing fine after their trades. You can’t comment on a players psychology without specific knowledge.
The difference is that with Sale and Eaton no one really went off on teams trading for them. The DBacks were universally criticized over that deal, and I honestly do not think I saw a single individual outside of their organization who really thought it was even a decent trade.
Miller probably had placed so much pressure on himself to try proving everyone wrong in saying that he was not worth that type of return. just my thoughts and simply speculation though….
Wow. Salt on the D’back’s wound
Man best thing that could happen to the new front office regime! Either offer him a team friendly deal on the cheap to buy out his remaining arb years and 1`-3 of his free agent years with team options after the first free agent year… or let him know he is DFA as soon as he is off the DL. Now they just have to explain how baseball contracts work these days to their idiot owner and see how much of Greinke’s contract the Dodgers will still take off their hands.
At least the DBacks didn’t trade the No.1 overall pick!
Um I’m pretty sure they actually did. Did you mean the Braves?
I believe his comment was seething with sarcasm.
This certainly isn’t the career trajectory I was anticipating for Shelby Miller.
At 26 years of age he has plenty of time to regain most of that trajectory. I liked him with the Cardinals and wasn’t enamored with the trade to begin with.
God, the emotion and sentimentalist attitude on one hand.
On the other hand we have the cold, soulless expressions of disgust toward the D’backs.
The team took a risk that they were getting the next Greinke. And it didn’t work out. So what!?!!?! Wish the man well in his recovery and move on.
This NEED to feel like you’re RIGHT or SMART is disgusting and exhausting.
but your idea of people should do and how they should feel is RIGHT and SMART. Your whole post is hypocritical, congrats.
Didn’t this guy already see like 4 doctors? What’s taking so long? Just chop your arm already.
Makes no difference how many DR’s he sees. They can do the surgery until the swelling goes down anyways. Nobody has TJS right after being diagnosed.
I would say that Ian Kinsler for Prince Fielder was a much worse trade. This comes despite the fact that Fielder won comeback player of the year in his second year in Texas. He’s costing the Rangers $96 million (some is covered by insurance, obviously) while he retired and injured and Kinsler is still productive to this date.
You can say that all you want, but it won’t make it true…
It’s true, it’s damn true.
Well
Tj always sucks
Wish him the best for recovery
this probably seals my vote for worst trade of all time. Anyone remember any that are worse?
bart for cliff lee, grady sizemore, and brandon phillips. Arrieta and strop for garbage, pedro for delino deshields, vernon wells to LAA, Erick Beddard to Mariners
The most lopsided trade in MLB was 15 DEC 1900 when CIN traded Christy Mathewson to NYG for Amos Rusie.
After that, every team can boast or bereave a lopsided trade of their own.
2nd most lopsided trade was 13 DEC 1927 when DET sent Heinie Manush and Lu Blue to SLB for Elam Vangilder, Harry Rice and Chick Galloway.
3rd would be on 10 DEC 1971 when the California Angels gave up Jim Fregosi to the Mets for Nolan Ryan, Leroy Stanton and Don Rose who they then used to acquire Ed Figueroa,