Dodgers' Bobby Miller Has No Fracture After Being Hit in Head with Line Drive

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Bobby Miller did not suffer a fracture or "significant bruising" after getting hit in the head by a 105.5 mph line drive during Thursday's Cactus League opener, per the Associated Press.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided the update on Miller's health Friday.

“He feels very confident that he can kind of pick up his throwing program soon,” Roberts said, per the AP. “But he’s just got to keep going through the concussion protocol just to make sure that we stay on the right track.”

The impact came on an at-bat by Chicago Cubs first baseman Michael Busch during Thursday's third inning. Miller fell to the ground but was able to walk off the field under his own power.

Miller said he was "good" and "can't wait to get on the mound" in a Thursday night update shared on X.

Roberts said after Thursday's game the hit was a "very scary moment," and the team would wait at least 24 to 48 hours before discussing any potential return to the field.

During his Friday update, Roberts told reporters that Miller had "a little bit of a headache" but "slept fine" and "feels much better today than he did yesterday," per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said last week the club plans to open the season with a five-man rotation until adding a sixth starter with the return of Shohei Ohtani, per MLB.com's Sonja Chen.

The first four spots in that rotation are likely going to Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki. The fifth is less set, with Miller preparing to compete with candidates like Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin for the spot.

May and Gonsolin are managing returns from significant injuries, but bring more experience to the position than Miller. A strong Cactus League showing could be key to helping Miller earn the fifth starting spot after recording an 8.52 ERA and 2-4 record in 13 starts last season.

For now, the Dodgers will continue to monitor Miller's health as he navigates concussion protocol before returning to throwing.