In Thursday's game against the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller was hit in the head with a hard shot in the third inning before going into concussion protection protocol. Dodgers head coach Dave Roberts revealed the news after the game.

Miller's 11th pitch (and his last of the game) was hit back by Cubs first baseman Michael Busch at 105.5 mph. Miller tried to block the ball with his hand, but the ball hit him directly to the right side of his head, causing his hat to be knocked flying and falling to the ground. Upon exiting, he was visibly red and swollen on the right side of his head.

Speaking after the Dodgers' 4-12 loss to the Cubs' Cactus League opener, Roberts said: "The ball hit the front of his head and you can see how far the ball bounced off after it hit. There was some deflection, but it did hit him directly. ”

Miller was able to walk off the pitch on his own after being examined by the team doctor and subsequently underwent further medical evaluation. Despite his brief knees, he was in good spirits and even joked with the team doctor, much to the relief of teammate Max Muncy.

"It's always very scary," Muncy said. Luckily, he seemed fine. When the team doctor asked him if he knew where he was, he joked that he threw a curveball. At that moment, we knew he was fine. ”

The Dodgers will be closely monitoring Miller's situation in the coming days to determine when he can resume baseball activities. "I think he'll regroup, calm down and make sure he's okay," Roberts said. If all goes well, we'll discuss his comeback plans because he'll definitely want to be back on the pitch as soon as possible. ”

Miller, the 25-year-old right-hand pitcher, had a strong start to spring training and is trying to shake off a slump in the 2024 season and is expected to compete for the last spot on the Dodgers' rotating roster. Roberts applauded his mentality and wished him a speedy recovery and return to action.