CLEVELAND (AP) - Andrew Miller’s start-and-stop season has been disrupted again.
The Cleveland Indians placed the invaluable reliever on the 10-day disabled list with shoulder soreness, an injury the AL Central leaders hope gets better in time for the postseason.
Manager Terry Francona said Miller complained about his shoulder Tuesday and, after consulting with the team’s medical staff, received a cortisone injection.
“It was the right thing to do for him,” Francona said. “We’ve talked about it before, even when it’s maybe not convenient you need to do the right thing. Andrew is going to pitch for a long time and he’s carried such a big load for us that we need to look out for him a little bit, too.”
Francona said Miller be completely shut down while the shot takes affect and there’s no timetable on when the 32-year-old will pitch again.
“We’re just going to go off of Andrew,” Francona said Wednesday before the Indians hosted the Minnesota Twins. “We’re going to do what’s right by him. We’ll update you as we go. We just don’t know what that is.”
This is Miller’s third trip to the DL this season. He was previously sidelined with a hamstring issue and then inflammation in his right knee. It’s just been that kind of year for the two-time All-Star.
“Sometimes things happen so you just do the best you can,” Francona said. “He’s not going to quit and we’re not going to quit either.”
One of baseball’s best relievers when healthy, Miller is 2-3 with a 3.38 ERA in just 27 games this season. He made 57 appearances in 2017, his first full season with the Indians, who acquired him in a trade with the New York Yankees in July 2016.
Francona rode Miller hard in the ’16 postseason, when he dominated hitters while helping Cleveland get to the World Series for the first time since 1997. Miller went 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA and struck out 30 in 19 1-3 innings.
Miller is only under contract through this season, and to protect themselves against his injuries and the future, the Indians acquired closer Brad Hand and right-hander Adam Cimber before the trade deadline.
To take Miller’s roster spot, the Indians recalled Tyler Olson from Triple-A Columbus. The lefty was up twice previously this season with Cleveland, posting a 1-1 record with a 6.75 ERA in 32 outings.
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