Shelby Miller: Should Braves Shut Down RHP for Rest of Season?
Shelby Miller has had both an excellent and disappointing year in his first season with the Atlanta Braves.
On one hand, Miller has had a great year, currently owning a 2.86 ERA (good for 6th in the NL) before Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, despite his 5-14 record.
-= Related: Shelby Miller: Excellent Season Despite Lack of Wins =-
On the other hand, Shelby Miller has not won a start since May 17th against the Miami Marlins, and is currently in the midst of a 22 game winless streak. His latest loss came at the hands of the AL East-leading Blue Jays, who tagged Miller for 5 earned runs on 7 hits in only 3.2 innings — his shortest start of the season.
More from ATL All Day
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Hawks Sweep Back-to-Back Games Over Weekend
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up
Shelby Miller has a career high in innings pitched this season for the Atlanta Braves with 186.0. This total eclipses his previous career high from last season with the St. Louis Cardinals which was 183.0 innings pitched.
Miller struggled on Tuesday night, and it was apparent that he was fatigued. It could be the fact that he has pitched more this season than he has ever previously, but it could also be attributed to not only physical exhaustion, but perhaps mental and emotional fatigue as product of his winless streak and perpetual lack of run support.
As the 2015 seasons draws to close in the next couple of weeks, the question for the Atlanta Braves is should they shut Shelby Miller down? I believe that they should.
More from Atlanta Braves
- Atlanta Braves: Felix Has Already Shown Enough to Win a Rotation Spot
- Atlanta Braves Implode Late To Phillies, Cole Hamels Remains Sidelined
- Kyle Wright Shines As Folty Struggles In Atlanta Braves Loss To Red Sox
- Atlanta Braves: Grapefruit League Play Check Up
- Sean Newcomb’s Up & Down Day Against The Orioles
What good would it do their ace and center-piece of the starting rotation if he is physically, mentally and emotionally fatigued? It will only serve to continue to diminish his confidence and weigh hard on his mind over the course of the next two weeks.
If Shelby Miller is not shut down, he is also at a higher risk for injury. Because he has pitched almost 200 innings this season, why not mitigate the risk of Miller succumbing to injury by shutting him down at the end of a lost season? There is no further need for him to go out to the mound every 5 days, only to put himself at risk.
By shutting Shelby Miller down, it also gives the Atlanta Braves another two weeks to get Mike Foltynewicz a couple of more starts once he is ready to return to the rotation, as well as giving Ryan Weber more exposure to the major leagues. Any which way you dice it, it’s beneficial to shut Shelby Miller down. He has had a great season, and he’s the Braves best pitcher; but the man needs a rest.