The Chicago Cubs are facing an increasingly complicated roster situation as injuries continue to force the team into short-term adjustments while also trying to maintain enough flexibility for key players expected to return.
That challenge has been especially noticeable with franchise shortstop Dansby Swanson sidelined, forcing the Cubs to shuffle their infield and make additional changes to the major-league roster.
Swanson is expected to miss at least another month after suffering a left oblique strain during Sunday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The injury landed him on the 10-day injured list and left Chicago with a significantly thinner group of options at shortstop at an important point in the season.
To help address the issue, the Cubs added more infield depth, including veteran Owen Miller. However, Miller’s time with the organization turned out to be extremely short-lived.
Cubs Move On From Miller After One Appearance
Owen Miller’s latest stint with the Chicago Cubs came to an abrupt end Friday, when the veteran infielder was designated for assignment just days after being called up to provide depth following Dansby Swanson’s injury. The move was necessary to open a spot for another roster addition, bringing Miller’s latest opportunity in the majors to just one game.
Miller was promoted Monday as an extra infielder after Swanson landed on the injured list. He appeared in only one inning at second base during Tuesday’s walk-off victory over the Chicago White Sox and never made a plate appearance. Chicago ultimately removed him from the roster after acquiring Gabriel Arias, who offered the team a stronger defensive option.
Miller’s departure stands out because it wasn’t the result of a prolonged period of poor performance. Instead, he became the odd player out as the Cubs worked to create space on an increasingly crowded roster.
Chicago also needed to clear a spot on its 40-man roster for Daniel Palencia’s return Friday, which ultimately left Miller as the casualty. Despite the sudden move, the 29-year-old could still draw interest from other teams if he reaches waivers.
Chicago Cubs Castoff Infielder Could Get Another Opportunity
Although Miller’s latest stint on the Cubs’ major-league roster ended quickly, his overall performance this season could give another team a reason to take a chance on him.
The former third-round selection has reached the majors in each of the past six seasons, spending time with four different organizations along the way. Over his career, Miller has posted a .238/.287/.342 slash line in just over 1,000 plate appearances at the major-league level.
His numbers at Triple-A Iowa have been much more promising this year. Before Chicago’s latest roster moves, Miller was batting .296/.350/.457 with seven home runs, showing enough offensive ability to potentially draw interest from another organization.
Miller is also out of minor-league options, which means any team that claims him off waivers would have to keep him on its major-league roster. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, he would have the opportunity to become a free agent, though the Cubs could still look to re-sign him to a minor-league deal.
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