
LHP Adam Kolarek was designated for assingment
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers activated Shelby Miller before Wednesday’s game against the White Sox, after the right-hander missed three games on the bereavement list. Left-hander Adam Kolarek was designated for assignment.
Miller has a 2.57 ERA and 4.24 xERA in 24 games this season, with 29 strikeouts and 17 walks. He leads the Dodgers bullpen in both multi-inning appearances (10) and innings pitched (28), with a role that has slowly grown.
“That’ll be a move which gives us a couple of innings, as far as when he pitches,” manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday of Miller’s pending return.
The Dodgers will need length wherever they can get it, especially this weekend with a spot start or bullpen game coming this weekend against the Giants.
Among the 10 Dodgers relievers to have pitched at least 10 games this season, only Andre Jackson has a lower average leverage index than Miller. But four of Miller’s five highest-leverage appearances have come in the last four weeks. That’s coincided with Miller striking out 10 in eight innings with a 2.25, while only walking two batters.
Right-handed batters are just 5-for-48 against Miller, hitting only .104/.204/.188.
He was placed on the bereavement list on Saturday when the Dodgers were in Philadelphia.
Kolarek was active with the Dodgers for two days, his second career stint with the team, after getting called up from Triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday. Kolarek struck out two in 1⅓ scoreless innings during Sunday’s bullpen game. He allowed one single, which allowed both inherited runners to score in the third inning.
The 34-year-old groundball specialist had a 2.18 ERA in 21 games this year for Oklahoma City, allowing only one extra-base hit.
The Dodgers now have 39 players on the 40-man roster.