The Cubs are taking a calculated swing on veteran right-hander Shelby Miller, finalizing a multi-year major league deal that’s expected to keep him in Chicago through at least 2027. While fans won’t see Miller on the mound this season - he’s recovering from UCL and flexor tendon surgery he underwent in October - the structure of the deal is likely backloaded, giving Miller time to rehab in 2026 with an eye on joining the bullpen in 2027.
It’s the latest chapter in what’s been a winding, often unpredictable career for the 35-year-old. Once a top-tier prospect and a 2009 first-round pick, Miller burst onto the big-league scene with the Cardinals and finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2013.
After two seasons in St. Louis, he was traded to Atlanta in the Jason Heyward deal - and that’s where the rollercoaster really began.
Miller gave the Braves a strong 2015 campaign, making 33 starts and looking every bit like a frontline starter. But when Atlanta flipped him to Arizona in a blockbuster that brought back future All-Star Dansby Swanson, outfielder Ender Inciarte, and former first-rounder Aaron Blair, things quickly unraveled.
Miller’s time in the desert was marred by injuries and inconsistency, with a 6.35 ERA over three seasons and just 139 innings pitched. He was eventually released, and for a while, it looked like his big-league days might be behind him.
But Miller didn’t walk away. He bounced around the league - including a forgettable two-inning stint with the Cubs in 2021 where he gave up seven runs - before reinventing himself as a late-inning reliever. That second act has been a revelation.
Since Opening Day 2023, Miller has quietly become a reliable bullpen arm. Across four teams over the past three seasons, he’s posted a 3.13 ERA in 143 2/3 innings, with a solid 25.3% strikeout rate and 13 saves to go along with 17 holds. His walk rate (8.2%) has stayed manageable, and he’s shown the kind of poise and pitch efficiency that teams covet in high-leverage situations.
His resurgence was on full display during a 2025 return to Arizona, where he signed a one-year deal and delivered a dominant 1.98 ERA over 36 1/3 innings with a 28% strikeout rate. That run was cut short by a forearm injury, but it didn’t stop the Brewers from taking a chance at the trade deadline. At the time, Miller was still on the injured list, but Milwaukee saw enough upside to acquire him - not for a prospect, but by absorbing $2 million of Jordan Montgomery’s $22.5 million salary while Montgomery was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery of his own.
Miller returned to make 11 appearances for the Brewers, pitching effectively in August. But in September, disaster struck again.
After facing just two batters - both of whom reached base - Miller felt a “pop” in his elbow and summoned the trainer. He later revealed that he’d been weighing surgical options since his initial IL stint with Arizona.
He tried to pitch through it, knowing that doing so might lead to a full Tommy John procedure - and that’s exactly what happened. The October surgery marked the second UCL reconstruction of his career, the first coming during his ill-fated stint with the D-backs.
Now, as he eyes a return in 2027, Miller will be 36 years old and roughly 16 months removed from surgery when spring training rolls around. The Cubs will need to place him on their 40-man roster once the deal is finalized, as MLB rules prevent teams from signing players directly to the 60-day injured list. But once they need the roster space, Miller will shift to the 60-day IL, allowing him to focus fully on recovery.
This deal is as much about upside as it is about timing. If Miller can recapture even a portion of his recent bullpen form, the Cubs could be looking at a valuable late-inning weapon for 2027 - one with experience, resilience, and a track record of overcoming the odds.