Miller looks postseason-ready as LA's magic number drops to 2

Miller looks postseason-ready as LA's magic number drops to 2

September 16th, 2023

SEATTLE -- The Dodgers aren’t in the postseason yet, but they’re already thinking about how things are going to line up in October.

Prior to Friday night’s series-opening 6-3 win over the Mariners, Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts was asked if his starter, , would be his man on the hill for the first game in the Dodgers’ upcoming National League Division Series that is slated to begin Oct. 7.

Roberts said Miller would pitch one of the first two games, and then the rookie right-hander went out and lived up to his skipper’s confidence, battling through 5 2/3 innings in a charged atmosphere at T-Mobile Park, giving up three runs and striking out seven. 

After the game, Roberts was asked if Miller’s effort was yet another successful prep for his upcoming playoff final exams. 

“It was, absolutely,” Roberts said. “In the sixth, the pitch count was good. He was efficient. Then there became some stress, and I think for me, personally, I want to see it, and I want him to be able to manage and see how he navigates.” 

Miller navigated well enough to earn his 10th win of the season. The biggest pitch of his night came with nobody out in the sixth and runners on the corners. He got Mariners slugger Eugenio Suárez, who had homered in his previous at-bat, to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. One run scored, but the Dodgers kept the Mariners off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game.

“I thought the double play was huge,” Miller said. “My goal on that pitch was to get a double play.”

Miller ended up with a line of three runs on six hits and two walks with seven strikeouts. Lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson wiggled out of the jam in the sixth to preserve the one-run lead, and relievers Brusdar Graterol, Ryan Brasier and Evan Phillips finished off Seattle. 

Miguel Rojas’ two-out, two-run home run off Mariners righty George Kirby in the fifth inning gave the Dodgers the lead, and Max Muncy added an RBI in the sixth on his first triple of the year. The Dodgers added another run in the sixth when J.D. Martinez singled in Muncy, and Martinez singled in another insurance run in the eighth. James Outman hit a solo homer in the ninth for the Dodgers’ sixth run.

Martinez said it was gratifying to see the 3-4-5 hitters contribute so prominently to a win since a lot of the heavy lifting has been done this season by 1-2 hitters Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. On Friday night, the Dodgers’ top two hitters went a combined 1-for-7 with four strikeouts.

“Tonight was one of those things where [Betts and Freeman] pretty much didn't carry the load for once and we were able to get the job done,” Martinez said.

In the clubhouse after the game, the Dodgers started to wonder out loud what would have to happen Saturday evening for them to officially make the postseason with their 10th National League West title in 11 seasons.

They knew that their magic number was 2.

They knew that a couple of Giants losses in San Francisco’s doubleheader coupled with a D-backs loss to the Cubs would hand the Dodgers the division title even if they lose.

They also knew that one Giants loss and a Dodgers win would do it.

Oh, and they were quite aware that they have Clayton Kershaw on the mound Saturday in what could be a clincher.

Freeman said they’ll be ready to party if it all works out, and Roberts reiterated that when the real party starts at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 7, he expects Miller to have the big-game experience the rookie will need for the treacherous waters ahead.

“That was a test,” Roberts said. “I think this environment, on the road, it was a little bit more hostile. Your adrenaline starts to kind of seep through. And how do you manage emotions?

“And so that's something that I wanted to see.”