ATLANTA, GA – AUGUST 26: Shelby Miller #17 of the Atlanta Braves lays down a sacrifice bunt in the sixth inning of the game against the Colorado Rockies on August 26, 2015 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Atlanta Braves entered their latest series against the Chicago Cubs this week with their playoff hopes hanging in the balance, while the Cubs had plenty of postseason motivation of their own.
Atlanta had an opportunity to lock in a postseason berth in the final game of the three-game set, but Chicago extended the Braves’ wait with an important victory.
“The Braves had a chance to clinch a playoff spot Wednesday, but the Chicago Cubs made sure that they waited at least one more game after beating the Braves 8-4,” per Atlanta News First’s Ellie Parker.
And that critical series also carried an additional connection for a former Braves All-Star, whose attempt to return to the majors has now officially come to an end for the season.
Former Atlanta Braves All-Star Shut Down For Season As He Looks For Comeback
Shelby Miller was briefly one of baseball’s most promising young starting pitchers, earning an All-Star selection during his first season with the Braves in 2015. He later became part of one of the most consequential trades in modern Braves history when Atlanta sent him to the Arizona Diamondbacks in a deal that brought Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte and Aaron Blair to Atlanta.
Miller’s career subsequently took him through multiple organizations and roles, including a transition from starting pitcher to reliever. He also endured significant elbow problems, including Tommy John surgery in 2017.
After returning to the Milwaukee Brewers in 2025, Miller suffered another UCL injury that required surgery and threatened to keep him out for the entire 2026 campaign.
The Cubs nevertheless signed him to a two-year contract with the expectation that he would spend this first season recovering, though there was suddenly hope that he could help contribute to the Cubs’ October hopes.
“Miller is completing his rehab from last fall’s UCL/flexor surgery, which he underwent while a member of the Brewers,” Anthony Franco noted for MLB Trade Rumors. “The Cubs signed him to a two-year free agent contract with the expectation that he’d spend the first season rehabbing. That’s ultimately what happened, though Miller was initially ahead of schedule with a chance to compete for a spot on the playoff roster.”
That potential playoff opportunity made his latest setback particularly disappointing.
Chicago Cubs Make Disappointing Decision On Former Atlanta Braves All-Star
Miller had been working his way back with the possibility of helping Chicago’s bullpen during the postseason. Instead, the Cubs decided that the veteran will not pitch again this year.
“Shelby Miller will not factor into the Cubs’ bullpen plans this year. Cubs manager Craig Counsell said the club is shutting down Miller, who was attempting to come back to the majors one year after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery,” The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney reported.
The decision closes the door on a comeback that had given Miller a chance to return to the major leagues after a lengthy rehabilitation process.
For Braves fans, the development served a reminder on a once-promising star in Atlanta and it came with an intriguing backdrop, given the team’s recent head-to-head with Miller’s newest team.
Leave a comment