LOS ANGELES — Back in March, when their starting rotation was intact and the projections were rosy, Los Angeles Dodgers officials envisioned Bobby Miller’s impending arrival as icing on another division-title cake. The prized prospect was supposed to appear in the majors sometime during the summer — after recovering from a shoulder injury — as a midseason showcase for a club coasting into October.
They would practice patience and deploy him with care. Maybe he would pitch so well that he would start games in the postseason. Maybe he’d become a weapon out of the playoff bullpen. Maybe the Dodgers wouldn’t need him at all.
The plan certainly wasn’t what has unfolded in recent weeks. Three months into the season, Miller isn’t a shiny depth piece for the Dodgers. He’s an essential, high-octane arm they’re relying on earlier than anyone expected to stay afloat in the National League playoff race.
