The Chicago Cubs will be without one of their main bullpen contributors from 2024 to start the regular season. Tyson Miller was placed on the 15-day Injury List retroactive to March 21 with left hip impingement. Miller, 29, is slated to be a key member of the Chicago Cubs bullpen in 2025 after having an impressive 2024 in his first year in Chicago. After being acquired from the Seattle Mariners, Miller quickly became a frequent choice for Craig Counsell out of the pen.
Miller, 29, will be eligible to return from the IL on April 5, but the Chicago Cubs have been noncommittal about his availability to rejoin the team at that time. An injury popping up so close to the beginning of the regular season can shuffle the roles of the active bullpen arms and create some interesting decisions for Craig Counsell to make until Miller returns. When he is fully healthy, Miller’s injury is not expected to change his role as a lengthy middle-to-late inning reliever.
Tyson Miller Added to 15-Day IL
The Chicago Cubs will not have Tyson Miller available in their bullpen in the early going of the 2025 regular season. The right-hander is heading to the 15-day injured list after it was revealed that he had a left hip impingement. ‘His stint on the IL will be retroactively started on March 21. Miller, 29, was expected to be a key cog in the 2025 Chicago Cubs bullpen after surprising many with his production in 2024.
After joining the Chicago Cubs via early-season trade in a deal with the Seattle Mariners that sent Jake Slaughter to the Pacific Northwest, Miller quickly became a reliable and versatile option for Craig Counsell in many roles. In his second stop with the Chicago Cubs, Miller has done the best work of his career.
After the trade, Miller went 5-1 with a 2.15 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 42 strikeouts, 14 holds, and his first career save across 50.1 innings. For the entire 2024 season with both Chicago and Seattle, Miller went 5-1 with a 2.32 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 54 strikeouts, and 15 holds in 62 innings pitched. After dredging through the minors as a starter, Miller went in between the starting rotation and the bullpen.
In his first couple of stops, including in 2020 with the Chicago Cubs, before settling in as a quality bullpen option. For his four-year career, Miller has amassed a 7-3 record with a 3.87 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 72 strikeouts in 93 innings with six different teams. With his best work coming in the Windy City, Miller, and Chicago Cubs fans hope he can recover effectively.
Final Thoughts
The Chicago Cubs should be able to overcome the absence of Tyson Miller in the early part of the season. Between their offseason moves and the depth of pitching in their organization, they should have the capacity to withstand missing one of their better-returning contributors from the 2024 season. Players like Elijah Morgan, Brandon Hughes, and Jack Neely will be relied upon to pick up the slack in Miller’s absence.
I am not overly concerned with the injury to Tyson Miller, especially since it only landed him on the 15-day IL. Trying to understand why the team officials haven’t commented on whether he’ll be back healthy enough to return is puzzling. His stint with the IL is over on April 5, so inquiring minds want to know.
A unique injury like a left hip impingement sets off some alarms with how the team handles the situation. Still, until there is more cause for concern, I will remain confident that Miller can recuperate and rejoin this bullpen. He hopes to replicate his 2024 status as a reliable option against right-handed hitters for Craig Counsell and the Chicago Cubs.
