Dodgers’ Bobby Miller hit in head with 106 mph line drive in scary scene

A scary moment unfolded in a spring training game between the Dodgers and Cubs on Thursday when Los Angeles pitcher Bobby Miller was hit by a 106 mph comebacker in the third inning. 

Cubs infielder Michael Busch sent Miller’s 80 mph pitch right back at Miller, nailing the 25-year-old righty in the side of the head and sent him crumbling to the ground. 

Miller immediately grabbed his head and attempted to compose himself as his teammates approached to check on him. 

The Dodgers pitcher walked off the field under his own power.

Miller came into the game — MLB’s first of the preseason — in the third inning and walked leadoff batter Vidal Brujan in the inning before Bush sent the screaming line drive right back at him. 

Miller is coming off a season in which he missed time with a shoulder injury and struggled with his mechanics. 

He found himself out of the Dodgers rotation and was sent down to the minor leagues in September of last season despite LA in need of pitchers. 

Miller told The Athletic recently that his shoulder “wasn’t right” last season. 

“At the end of the day, I was physically able to pitch, so there’s no excuse that I can make,” Miller told the outlet. “Just poor execution on my part is what it really comes down to and not having my normal pitch mix and command that I had the year before.”

The Dodgers are hoping for a bounce-back in 2025, especially after he showed so much promise in 2023, and are hoping the quick kinship that Miller has made with offseason signing Blake Snell will help. 

“I don’t live in the past,” Snell said. “He shouldn’t either. Last year, you learn from and then focus on what he’s doing. He’ll learn. He’s such an amazing talent. I don’t ask him what he did last year because I don’t care. I think what he’s gonna do is way more important than what happened. Learn from it, get better, whatever it was going bad and then this year is this year. Be ready for it.”