Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Shelby Miller, left, throws to first base as New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil beats the throw for a single during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, right, celebrates with pitcher Shelby Miller, left, after a baseball game against the New York Mets, Thursday, May 1, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Shelby Miller, left, throws to first base as New York Mets’ Jeff McNeil beats the throw for a single during the eighth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Shelby Miller never developed into ace that the Arizona Diamondbacks envisioned following a blockbuster trade in December 2015.
Perhaps he can become the Diamondbacks’ closed almost a decade later.
Miller earned his first save for Arizona on Thursday, working a perfect ninth inning and closing out .
鈥淚t鈥檚 always good to get a win, however we can do it, however I contribute, whether we鈥檙e up one or 10,鈥 Miller said. 鈥淚鈥檒l pick up the ball whenever my name is called.鈥
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Miller picked up the save hours after the Arizona bullpen was thrown into further disarray when Justin Martinez was placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Martinez and A.J. Puk, who was shifted to the 60-day injured list Thursday while he recovers from a left elbow injury, combined for seven of the Diamondbacks鈥 first nine saves.
鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 mean he鈥檚 going to close every game,鈥 manager Torey Lovullo said after Miller threw just eight pitches. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 going to get some save opportunities for sure.鈥
Miller was one of the most promising young starters in baseball when the Diamondbacks acquired him from the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 9, 2015, for a package that included Dansby Swanson, the first overall pick in the 2015 draft.
But Miller, who had a 3.22 ERA for the Braves and St. Louis Cardinals in his first four big league seasons, went 3-12 with a 6.15 ERA in 20 starts in 2016 before undergoing Tommy John surgery after four starts in 2017 鈥 Lovullo鈥檚 first year as manager.
鈥淭hat makes the save a little bit better,鈥 Miller said with a smile. 鈥淚 couldn鈥檛 be more happy for him to get this W.
鈥淭he fact that we鈥檙e connected that way, it does mean a lot,鈥 Lovullo said.
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Miller played for three other teams and shifted to the bullpen by the time Swanson won the World Series with Atlanta in 2021. After pitching briefly for the San Francisco Giants in 2022 and recording a 1.71 ERA for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2023, Miller appeared in a career-high 51 games for the Detroit Tigers last season.
The 34-year-old right-hander signed a non-roster deal with Arizona in February and is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 13 appearances. The save Thursday was the fourth of Miller鈥檚 career.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a story of perseverance 鈥 for me, it鈥檚 a story about a guy that just is never giving up,鈥 Lovullo said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 bounced around over the course of his career through a bunch of organizations, but he has never given up. And we鈥檙e getting those benefits now.鈥
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