Inside The Cubs

Cubs Sign Reliever Who Won't Pitch This Season To Multi-Year MLB Deal

The Cubs have become aggressive this offseason the last month, and that is continuing with the latest add into their relief system.
Maddy Dickens|
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Chicago Cubs Hat | IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

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The last month or so has been huge for the Chicago Cubs. The organization not only signed 2x Silver Slugger Award winner Alex Bregman but also traded for Edward Cabrera to add another top-caliber arm to their already strong starting rotation.

Many of the moves that the team made regarding their bullpen came before the New Year, but there isn't a team in baseball that can't benefit from more depth in the relief corps, and the Cubs just added one more in veteran Shelby Miller.

Shelby Miller
Shelby Miller | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

Miller hit free agency at the end of the 2025 season after posting a sub-3.00 ERA and hadn't found his new team, until now. Insider Robert Murray was first to break the news, stating that the two are nearing terms on a multi-year guaranteed major-league deal.

However, it is highly unlikely that this signing will reap any benefits in 2026, as Miller suffered a torn UCL at the end of the 2025 season, which resulted in the second Tommy John surgery of his career. A multi-year deal gives Miller the freedom to rehab without the pressure of losing a spot on the roster. A smart move by Jed Hoyer.

Jesse Rogers followed up, adding that the deal has "been in place for a while," and that it guarantees Miller $2.5 million over two years.

Get to know Shelby Miller

Miller has been throwing off a major league mound since he was only a 21-year-old back in 2012. Since then, he has pitched for nine different organizations, one of which was the Cubs back in 2021.

While his time in Chicago wasn't kind to him (only two innings pitched with seven earned runs), he has been exceptional when taking on a heavy workload out of the bullpen, which has been consistently in the last three seasons.

In 2025, he was on the pitching staff for both the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers. Looking at the stats from both teams, he posted an ERA of 2.74 with 54 strikeouts in 48 innings of work.

Shelby Miller throwing a pitch for the Brewers in a grey unifor
Aug 29, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Shelby Miller (45) delivers a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

The now 35-year-old is ready for his redemption tour with the Cubs as the team looks to take back the division and fight their way into the Fall Classic.

Other key offseason bullpen additions

With the departure of Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Andrew Kittredge, it was crucial that Jed Hoyer find replacements for their pen.

Bullpen signings 2025 stats:

  • Hoby Milner (Rangers): 3.84 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 70.1 innings
  • Phil Maton (Cardinals/Rangers): 2.79 ERA and 81 strikeouts in 61.1 innings
  • Caleb Thielbar (Cubs): 2.64 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 58 innings
  • Hunter Harvey (Royals): 0.00 ERA and 11 strikeouts in 10 innings, missed significant time with shoulder and back injury
  • Jacob Webb (Rangers) 3.00 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 66 innings
Hoby Milner throwing a pitch for the Rangers in a grey uniform against the Met
Sep 14, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; Texas Rangers pitcher Hoby Milner (41) delivers a pitch against the New York Mets during the seventh inning at Citi Field. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

While the bullpen is unlikely to include Miller this season, the Cubs are looking more and more ready to be a long-term winning team. The pitching staff will need him to continue past the 2026 season.

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Maddy Dickens
MADDY DICKENS

Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.

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