At 39-47, the Chicago Cubs find themselves 12 games back in the NL Central and 5.5 games back in the Wild Card race. With the MLB trade deadline rapidly approaching, the Cubs must consider operating as sellers.
If they do, Cody Bellinger would undoubtedly be their best trade option made available. However, relief pitcher Tyson Miller is another name that could draw rapid attention across the major leagues, via Will Sammon, Patrick Mooney and Katie Woo of The Athletic.
The Cubs acquired Miller in a trade from the Seattle Mariners in early May. It was a reunion of sorts, as Chicago was the team who originally drafted Miller back in 2016. While they had high hopes for him then, the Cubs are more than pleased with his output almost a decade later.
Over 16 appearances with Chicago in 2024, Miller holds a 1.53 ERA and a 16/3 K/BB ratio. He has been a consistent threat out of the Cubs' bullpen and one of the more successful reclamation projects.
There were signs of life from Miller with the Mariners in early 2024, he held a 3.09 ERA over his first nine appearances of the season. But it was a far cry from his career 4.62 ERA. He bounced around the league, playing for five teams before landing with the Cubs.
Still, Miller was resilient and seems to have turned a new leaf in his career. Looking to continue his strong start to the season, Miller wants to prove that his performance with the Cubs isn't a fluke.
“It took a little while to try and find myself as a pitcher over the years, Miller said. “With new teams, it's people telling you, ‘Try this. Try that. We don't like this pitch.' That kind of thing. I'm just trying to figure out who I am as a pitcher. The Mariners helped show that.”
The only question now is where Tyson Miller finishes out the campaign. While the Cubs would surely love to keep him in their bullpen, his value on the trade market might be too high to pass up.
Why Tyson Miller makes for strong Cubs trade candidate
Despite their current position, Chicago may be unwilling to trade Bellinger or any of their other high profile players. Bringing in Craig Counsell as manager was supposed to bring a new winning era to the North Side. While that hasn't quite happened yet, it would be a direct change of course for the Cubs to have a full fire sale.
Instead, trading players like Miller allows Chicago to go through a soft sell. They know the team must improve for them to truly be in playoff contention. Their farm system is solid, with seven players in the top 100, via MLB Pipeline. But the Cubs won't mind adding even more prospect capital to build a brighter future.
Especially if it comes from trading Tyson Miller. For as good as he has been, the right-hander is set to be a free agent after the season. With his value as high as it is, the Cubs will surely find a suitor for Miller. If they can force a bidding war, Chicago will get the best offer possible.
And with relief pitching always needed come trade deadline, Miller's name is sure to be that comes up around league circles. The Cubs have a major decision to make when it comes to Millers future. But if the righty continues pitching how he has, Chicago may have no other choice than to make a deal.
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