Last December the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shelby Miller to a one-year contract for the 2023 season as he was looking to build on an encouraging showing as a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants.
While pitching at the Triple-A level for the New York Yankees and Giants in 2022, Miller went a combined 2-4 with a 2.87 ERA and 1.11 WHIP. Miller then didn’t allow a run in his first three appearances with the Giants but gave up five in a final game.
Miller only spent two weeks up with the Giants at the end of the 2022 season, but the Dodgers nevertheless were optimistic over what he would bring to their bullpen.
There was a neck injury that wound up limiting Miller’s time on the mound and his tenure with the Dodgers has come to an end after just one season. According to ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, Miller is signing with the Detroit Tigers:
Free agent RHP Shelby Miller has a deal (pending physical) with the Detroit Tigers, per source.
Miller, 33, pitched for the Dodgers last season, throwing 42.0 innings, mostly in relief.
— Kiley McDaniel (@kileymcd) December 22, 2023
Miller’s deal with the Tigers is a one-year contract, per Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press:
Source: The #Tigers are signing right-handed reliever Shelby Miller to a one-year contract with an option, pending physical. Miller is taking his physical in Detroit today. Deal should be official soon. @kileymcd first on agreement.
— Evan Petzold (@EvanPetzold) December 22, 2023
Miller went 3-0 with one save, a 1.71 ERA, 3.68 FIP and 0.91 WHIP across 36 games (one start) for the Dodgers. He collected 42 strikeouts against 19 walks over 42 innings pitched.
Miller missed 10 weeks due to neck pain that was caused by a herniated disc. When he was originally placed on the 15-day injured list June 21, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts estimated Miller would only be out for a few weeks.
However, it was then discovered Miller’s neck injury was more serious than initially believed. He was transferred to the 60-day IL on July 14 as the herniated disc caused numbness down Miller’s left arm. Miller was not activated off the 60-day IL until the end of August.
Shelby Miller was among Dodgers free agents
The morning after the World Series concluded, Miller was among the 12 players in the Dodgers free agent class. The group also included Clayton Kershaw, J.D. Martinez, Julio Urías, Jason Heyward, David Peralta, Kiké Hernández, Ryan Brasier, Amed Rosario, Kolten Wong, Jimmy Nelson and Jake Marisnick.
Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Daniel Hudson and Alex Reyes joined them shortly after as the Dodgers declined their respective team options.
Marisnick (Los Angeles Angels), Lynn (St. Louis Cardinals) and Miller (Tigers) have since signed with new teams. Whereas Heyward, Kelly and Hudson were re-signed by the Dodgers.
That made Miller returning an unlikely outcome given the projected Dodgers bullpen depth.
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