PITTSBURGH -- Shelby Miller is scheduled to return to the Arizona Diamondbacks' rotation Monday, 14 months after the right-hander underwent Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery.
Miller will face the Marlins next week in Miami. He rejoined the NL West-leading Diamondbacks before their 9-3 win over the Pirates on Thursday after making four rehab starts in the minor leagues.
"I'm pretty excited, but I'm assuming the first (start) back won't be perfect," Miller said. "There are going to be times where I'm going to have to bear down and get through some stuff. I've talked to people (who have had the surgery) and they say command is the last thing to come back."
The 27-year-old Miller pitched a combined 19 1/3 innings in his rehab starts, two with Double-A Jackson and two with Single-A Visalia. He gave up 10 runs and 20 hits while striking out 28 and walking six.
A 15-game winner in 2013 with the St. Louis Cardinals and an All-Star in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves, Miller was injured in his fourth start last season. He has a 5-14 record and 5.78 ERA in 24 starts since the Diamondbacks acquired him from the Braves in a trade before the 2016 season.
"I definitely have something to prove over here," Miller said.
Miller will take the rotation spot of rookie right-hander Matt Koch, who was optioned to Triple-A Reno. Koch was 5-4 with a 4.40 ERA in 13 games, including 12 stats.
Right-handed reliever Jake Barrett was recalled from Reno. He had one strikeout and gave up one hit in Thursday's win.
