Veteran right-hander Shelby Miller is on the cusp of making his debut for the Milwaukee Brewers following his acquisition from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the July 31, 2025, Trade Deadline. Miller could be activated as soon as Friday, when the Brewers open a three-game series against the New York Mets at American Family Field, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
The 34-year-old has been on the injured list since July 7 due to a right forearm strain, but recently impressed in a rehab outing for Triple-A Nashville, striking out the side on 17 pitches while sitting 94–96 mph and touching 97 mph.
“Really impressive stuff,” Brewers GM Matt Arnold said. “He was 94-96 [mph], touching 97, and all the reports were really positive.”
Before his injury, Miller was a reliable arm for Arizona, appearing in 37 games, recording a 1.98 ERA, 10 saves, and 40 strikeouts, while holding hitters to a .190 average.
The Brewers acquired Miller alongside left-hander Jordan Montgomery, agreeing to absorb most of Montgomery’s remaining contract. To make room for Miller, the Brewers optioned Easton McGee to Triple-A on Thursday, a move that cleared space in the bullpen.
“He’s a veteran and we can always use somebody like that,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said.
Come Friday, the Brewers enter a packed schedule featuring 25 games in 26 days, with just a single off day.
“We don’t envision him being a multi-inning type of contributor, but he has 10 saves this year, so it’s a guy that we feel comfortable putting in a high-leverage role right away,” Arnold said. “And the experience that he has at the front end of games and at the back is really valuable. It allows us to space out the guys who have been great this year.”
Miller, who will be wearing No. 55, is no stranger to Milwaukee, having previously pitched in their Minor League system in 2019 and re-signing with the club in 2020 before opting out of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Drafted in the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals, Shelby Miller was once among the sport’s top pitching prospects. He was named to the 2015 MLB All-Star Game and earned the Cardinals’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year honors in both 2010 and 2011.
Miller has played for 11 Major League teams in his career, including the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and now, the Milwaukee Brewers.
