The Boston Red Sox lost 3-2 to the Guardians on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The game was tied heading into the ninth inning. It did not stay that way for long.
Erik Miller entered to protect the tie and hit Chase DeLauter to start the inning. Two batters later, Nathaniel Lowe lifted a sacrifice fly that brought DeLauter home with the go-ahead run. Miller threw 22 pitches. Ten were strikes. The Guardians had their lead, and the Red Sox had another loss.
It was the fourth consecutive outing in which Miller has allowed at least one run. After the game, the left-hander did not sugarcoat where things stand.
Miller’s Patience Is Running Thin
Miller was asked about his recent stretch and whether his patience with himself was wearing down. He did not dodge the question.
“It’s definitely running thin at this point,” Miller said. “I’d be lying if I said otherwise…I would like to have been through this by now, be over it.”
In September, Miller has posted an 8.53 ERA and a 2.37 WHIP. He has recorded one clean inning in seven appearances. For a pitcher who spent the summer as one of the most reliable left-handed setup arms in the American League, the slide has been sudden.
Miller said after the game that he has been working through a mechanical issue that he has not been able to shake. The frustration is compounded by the reality that the only way to fix it is to keep pitching in live situations. There is no shortcut. The regular season has five games left, and the postseason starts a week from Tuesday.
Tracy Still Believes in the Stuff
Manager Chad Tracy acknowledged the struggles but offered a different read on Tuesday’s outing.
“I thought today was even another step in the right direction,” Tracy said.
Tracy plans to get Miller into a couple more games before the regular season ends Sunday. The idea is to give him every opportunity to find the command before the Wild Card Series begins on September 29. Tracy said after the game that the trust in Miller’s raw ability has not changed, even as the results have gone sideways. The stuff is not the problem. The location is.
Final Word for the Red Sox
Erik Miller is not hiding from this. He knows the numbers. He knows the stakes. He is frustrated with himself and not pretending otherwise.
The stuff is still there. The command is not. Five days remain to find it.
Miller’s patience may be running thin. The Red Sox’ belief in him has not wavered. Whether those two things can meet in the middle before October will go a long way toward determining how far this team can go.
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