Miller didn't factor into the decision in Wednesday's 12-2 loss to the Cubs, allowing two earned runs on four hits and a walk while striking out five across 4.1 innings. He also uncorked a wild pitch and hit a batter.
The much-anticipated major-league debut of the hard-throwing right-hander went very well from an individual standpoint, even as the Athletics suffered a 12-2 loss that was mostly the fault of the bullpen. Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports Miller threw his trademark four-seam fastball on 53 of his 81 pitches, generating 27 swings and six whiffs in the process. Miller's heater also averaged a blistering 99.3 mph, maxing out at 102.5 mph and registering at 100 mph or higher a whopping 15 times. The highly encouraging outing against a hot lineup -- which included a second inning during which he struck out Cody Bellinger, Edwin Rios and Patrick Wisdom -- is one of the few reasons for optimism thus far in what appears to be another forgettable season for the rebuilding Athletics. Miller's opportunity to put together an even better encore is slated to come early next week against another talented lineup in that of the Angels.