The Chicago Cubs will wrap up their series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday at Wrigley Field after dropping the past two games.
The Cubs took the opener Monday but have since stumbled, including a 9-4 loss Wednesday. They will try to split the set and avoid dropping the series.
During the homestand, the club provided an update on veteran pitcher Shelby Miller, who has been working his way back through the minors.
“Logged 23 pitches in one inning (two hits, one walk) for Triple-A Iowa on Sept. 1 in his latest Minor League rehab outing. Has a chance to join the Cubs’ bullpen before the end of the season,” MLB.com shared.
Miller has not pitched in a major league game this season. Team officials and reports indicate he could be an option for the bullpen later this month if the rehab continues to progress.
The right-hander was selected in the first round of the 2009 draft and has spent 13 seasons in the majors. He has worn uniforms for the Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, San Francisco Giants and the Cubs.
Miller, 35, appeared in three games for Chicago during the 2021 season. He made the All-Star team with Atlanta in 2015.
Over 302 career appearances, including 133 starts, he owns a 51-69 record and a 4.04 ERA.
Iowa Cubs broadcaster Jason Kempf wrote (on September 1): “Shelby Miller found himself in a bases loaded jam in the seventh and then escaped on one pitch by getting George Valera to chop into a 4-6-3 double play. One outing after that odd removal 15 pitches in, he threw 23 tonight. Fastball again touched 97 mph w/ @IowaCubs.”
That outing showed both the command issues that have followed him at times and the remaining velocity that still intrigues clubs looking for bullpen help.
Chicago sits second in the National League Central at 78-62 after 140 games. The club has gone 4-6 over its last 10 contests and is 40-31 at home this year.
Manager Craig Counsell has mixed and matched the relief corps through a long season. An extra arm with big-league experience could prove useful if the Cubs stay in the wild-card or division picture.
Miller’s path has been anything but linear. Injuries and inconsistent results have marked several stops, yet he has continued to sign on and work.
The latest Iowa appearance suggested he can still generate swings and miss when the fastball plays up. Whether that translates quickly enough for September remains the question the front office will weigh.
Thursday’s finale against Milwaukee gives the Cubs a chance to steady themselves before the schedule continues. Any decision on Miller would come after more evaluation of how he recovers and how the current roster holds up.
For now, the veteran remains on the rehab trail while the big-league club tries to halt a two-game slide at Wrigley.
